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Murders of Geneva Lopez and Yitshak Cohen

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Geneva Lopez
Born
Geneva Sarita Lopez

31 December 1997
Santo Tomas, Pampanga, Philippines
Diedc. 21 June 2024(2024-06-21) (aged 26)[1]
Capas, Tarlac, Philippines
Cause of deathMurder and Gunshot Wound
Resting placeGate of Heaven Memorial Chapel, Minalin, Pampanga, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
PartnerYitshak Cohen
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023
Hair colorBlack
Eye colorBlack

On 6 July 2024, the remains of Geneva Lopez, a Filipino beauty pageant contestant, and her Israeli partner Yitshak Cohen, were discovered in Capas, Tarlac, Philippines, following search operations since they had been reported missing on 21 June.[2]

Background

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In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Sarita and the surname or paternal family name is Lopez.

Geneva Sarita Lopez (31 December 1997 – c. 21 June 2024) was a Filipino model, businesswoman, and beauty pageant titleholder.[2]

Lopez was born in Pampanga. She reportedly pursued her secondary education in Santo Tomas, and later worked at a BPO company at the Clark Freeport Zone.[3]

Lopez had competed in beauty pageants, including the Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023. At the time of her disappearance, the same organization had no final date yet for the pageant's 2024 edition where she was about to represent Santo Tomas.[3]

Prior to the disappearances of Lopez and her Israeli fiancé Yitshak Cohen,[3] they had been residing in Angeles City.[4][5]

Disappearance and death

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Lopez and Cohen were last seen alive on 21 June 2024, when they went to Capas, Tarlac, to inspect the agricultural land they intended to purchase, as well as to meet a middleman, a certain Michael Angelo Guiang, who was a former police officer,[6] to discuss a prior real estate deal involving Cohen.[4][5] Guiang, who reportedly set a meeting with Cohen, had told him that he would give him the property in exchange for his unpaid debt.[5]

A day later, their SUV was seen burning along the highway at the same municipality, where her partially burned belongings were recovered.[4][5] They were reported missing since then[4] and for two weeks.[5]

On 6 July, their bodies - in an advanced state of decomposition - were found at a quarry site in Capas.[5] Both sustained gunshot wounds.[7] Lopez's remains were later cremated,[8] while Cohen's remains were immediately flown back to Israel.[5] They were each interred on 11 July with Lopez interred in Minalin, Pampanga.[9]

Investigation

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There are seven persons of interest in the killing, five of them currently under police custody. Guiang, being tagged as the mastermind,[9] and another dismissed police officer are among the three who had been arrested, yet for another cases; while two surrendered.[6] In August 2024, the PNP-CIDG filed two counts of murder before the DOJ against five suspects, including two former police officers.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Manabat, Johann (6 July 2024). "Bodies of missing beauty queen, boyfriend found in Tarlac". Rappler. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Sequiña, Mariel Celine (26 June 2024). "TIMELINE: What is known so far about missing beauty pageant bet, boyfriend". gmanetwork.com. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Rivera, Janey (7 July 2024). "Who Was Geneva Lopez? 7 Things About the Late Beauty Queen". Preview. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Manabat, Joann (24 June 2024). "Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2023 candidate, boyfriend reported missing". Rappler. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Israeli man and his partner found dead in Philippines quarry after 2 weeks of searches". The Times of Israel. 6 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b Argosino, Faith (10 July 2024). "5 persons of interest in Geneva Lopez, boyfriend's slay under custody". Inquirer.net. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  7. ^ Daguno–Bersamina, Kristine (7 July 2024). "Beauty pageant candidate, Israeli fiancé die from gunshot wounds". Philstar.com. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Beauty contestant Geneva Lopez's remains cremated". GMA Integrated News. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Pageant contestant Geneva Lopez, Yitshak Cohen laid to rest". GMA Integrated News. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  10. ^ Laqui, Ian (15 August 2024). "PNP files murder raps vs 5 individuals in beauty queen slay case". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
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