Suspect Arrested in Sara Woman’s Murder, Teen’s Rape

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Police arrested a 34-year-old promoter hours after the brutal killing of a 44-year-old woman and the rape of her teenage foster daughter in Sara, Iloilo on Thursday.

Ricardo (surname withheld), from Barangay Villahermosa, Sara, was apprehended while driving his motorcycle in Poblacion, Sara.

Maj. Jogen Suegay, Sara police chief, said Ricardo denied involvement in the death of Grace Fortaleza, who was killed with a piece of wood in her home in Barangay Arante on Oct. 3.

“He claimed to be on a drinking binge when the supposed crime happened,” Suegay said.

However, the 17-year-old victim positively identified Ricardo as the intruder who killed Fortaleza and raped her.

The suspect, who lives in an adjacent barangay, frequented an eatery near the victim’s house.

Suegay believes Ricardo initially intended to molest the teenager but killed Fortaleza when she awoke.

The assailant entered the home around 2 a.m. The minor sustained neck injuries during the assault.

Fortaleza’s estranged husband, Gilbert, reported the incident to the Sara Municipal Police Station at 3:10 a.m. after being informed by his wife’s sister.

When Gilbert arrived, Fortaleza was already dead.

The crime came to light when the survivor ran to Fortaleza’s sister’s house for help.