TIMELINE: What is known so far about missing beauty pageant bet, boyfriend

Beauty pageant candidate Geneva Sarita Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen were reported missing on June 21.

Based on police reports and other information obtained by GMA News Online, here is what transpired regarding their disappearance:

June 21, Friday — Lopez and Cohen left their residence in Angeles City, Pampanga in “normal behavior” between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., according to a security guard on duty at that time. CCTV footage showed that the couple left without a companion. Lopez's sister, Joni, said she was unable to contact the couple since 3 p.m. through their social media accounts and cellphone numbers.

June 22, Saturday — Joni received a report from the Capas Municipal Police Station in Tarlac about an abandoned and burned vehicle. Acquired from the Capas Fire Station, the report states that Lopez's belongings were found partially burned inside an abandoned sports utility vehicle (SUV). The SUV’s plate number was registered to a certain Randel Castillo in Sta. Maria, Bulacan.

On the same day, Joni requested police assistance for the investigation.

On its official Facebook page, the Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga said it had no official schedule of activities on Friday as it was allotted as rest time for candidates. It added that they are coordinating with authorities regarding the investigation.

Lopez is among the official candidates of Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2024 representing the town of Sto. Tomas in her province.

Lopez, 27, and Cohen, 37, reportedly went to Capas, Tarlac to meet with an individual regarding a parcel of land that was pawned to them in 2021.

June 25, Tuesday — Mutya ng Pilipinas, the larger organization, voiced concern about Lopez's disappearance and said it was coordinating with its Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga franchisee, Ms. Weng Laughlin regarding the matter.

June 26, Wednesday — Authorities are backtracking locations where the couple went before they went missing through CCTV footage.

The Capas Fire Station submitted debris samples of the SUV to its national headquarters to determine the cause of the fire.

It said the concentration of the fire was in the front of the vehicle, particularly on the driver's side and engine bay.

June 27, Thursday — The family of Cohen offered a P250,000 reward to anyone who could provide information on the missing couple.

Meanwhile, Lopez’s family has requested privacy and asked the public to avoid making insinuations and speculations that could hamper the ongoing investigation.

The lawyer of the Lopez family said the couple's transaction regarding the land they were eyeing was legitimate.

The family of Cohen offered a P250,000 reward to anyone who could provide information on the couple's disappearance.

June 28, Friday — The Capas Police said they did not find any sign of Lopez and Cohen when they conducted an ocular inspection in locations the missing couple visited.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the burned vehicle tested negative for flammable substance but it doesn’t mean the car was intentionally burned.

June 29, Saturday — The Tarlac Provincial Office created a special committee on missing persons to expedite the search for the missing couple.

Authorities are also coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration to check if the couple went out of the country.

July 1, Monday — The Capas Police found another abandoned vehicle in Barangay Tibag, Tarlac City linked to the disappearance of the missing couple.

Authorities also acquired the testimony of the individual who assisted the couple during their visit to the property.

According to the affidavit and testimony, the couple met with the individual around 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. in Barangay Armenia, Tarlac City.

Authorities found that the individual is a former police assigned in Angeles City, a businessman and a property agent.

July 2, Tuesday — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said authorities are looking into some persons of interest behind the disappearance of Lopez and Cohen.

July 4, Thursday — The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said a former police officer is among the seven persons of interest in the disappearance of the two.

A reward of over P1 million was offered to anyone who can provide information regarding Lopez and Cohen's disappearance. Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda and Vice Governor Lilia Pineda offered a P1 million reward on top of the P250,000 put by Cohen's family and the P150,000 by the local government of Sto. Tomas town, where Lopez's family lives.

July 5, Friday — The Tarlac City Regional Trial Court-Branch 111 issued a search warrant, according to the PNP CIDG.

July 6, Saturday — Two bodies believed to be those of Lopez and Cohen were unearthed in the morning in a vacant lot in a quarry site in Brgy. Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac after authorities searched the area by virtue of the search warrant issued July 5.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said two suspects, police officers who took absences without leave, were placed under police custody.

National Bureau of Investigation Director Jaime Santiago confirmed that evening that the bodies discovered are those of Lopez and Cohen.

July 7, Sunday — NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the results of the autopsy conducted by the bureau have been released, showing that Lopez and Cohen each had two gunshot wounds. He added that a dispute about land may have been the motive in the crime.

The Israeli Embassy expressed sadness at the tragedy, and said it will assist the family of Cohen in repatriating his remains back to Israel.

Lopez's remains were cremated and a wake for her is being held in Pampanga. —KBK/KG, GMA Integrated News