Beauty contestant, Israeli BF had 2 gunshot wounds each —NBI

The National Bureau of Investigation on Sunday said autopsy done on the bodies of a beauty pageant contestant and her Israeli boyfriend showed the victims were each shot twice.

The beauty pageant contestant, identified as Geneva Lopez, had gunshots at the back of her torso and her thigh, while her boyfriend Yitshak Cohen had gunshots on his chest and near the armpit, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said.

"Okay, nag-conduct na kami ng autopsy, ang NBI ay nag-conduct na ng autopsy at may resulta na," Santiago said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(Okay, the NBI conducted an autopsy and we already have results.)

"'Yung babae ay may tama ng bala sa dibdib, sa likod ha, sa likod, lumabas sa dibdib, atsaka sa kanyang paa, sa thigh," he said.

(The woman was shot on her back and the bullet came out of her chest. She was also shot on her thigh.)

"Ang lalaki naman ay may tama ng bala sa dibdib, harapan ang entrance, tumagos sa likod atsaka sa bandang kili-kili," he added.

(The man was shot on his chest and the bullet came out of his back. He was also shot near the armpit.)

"So tigalawang bala ang tinanggap ng dalawang victims natin," Santiago said.

(So both of them received two shots each.)

He said that a slug was found in the body of Lopez, which will be submitted for a ballistics examination.

LOOK: Autopsy results of Pampanga beauty contestant Geneva Lopez, Israeli BF

Meanwhile, it was the Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) who conducted the DNA testing. Results have yet to be released.

Santiago also said the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is the lead agency in the investigation. The NBI is collaborating with them and provided forensic assistance, he added.

But so far, Santiago assured that there was a 99% chance that the bodies found were the two missing individuals they were looking for.

The bodies were discovered in a vacant lot within a quarry site in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Capas, Tarlac on Saturday morning.

Santiago confirmed on Saturday that the bodies are those of Lopez and Cohen.

The NBI director on Sunday said the relatives of the two victims confirmed the identities of the two bodies.

"So natagpuan na nga ang dalawang bangkay at na-identify na ng family. So far nakilala ng family sa kanilang mga kasuotan at mga tatak sa katawan, 'yung mga marka sa katawan," he said.

(So the two bodies have been found and identified by their family. So far, the family recognized them by their clothes and marks on their body.)

"Pero decomposing na 'yung ano, decomposing na 'yung body nang makita so kailangan na talagang ma-identify namin na 'yun na nga ang mga bangkay. Isa sa ano ay autopsy," Santiago added.

(But their bodies were already decomposing when we saw them, so we really need to identify the corpses. One of the ways is through an autopsy.)

Lopez and Cohen were last seen on June 21. They went to Capas, Tarlac to look at a property they were planning to buy.

Their SUV was later seen burning the next day along a road in Capas with no sign of its occupants.

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

Land issue

Santiago said they are looking at a possible issue on land, which could be a motive for the crime.

“Parang away sa lupa eh, parang ganon,” he said.

(It seems that there was a fight regarding land.)

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos told Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday that two suspects, police officers who took absences without leave, are now under police custody.

Santiago said that evidence is strong against these two suspects.

In Saleema Refran’s report on 24 Oras Weekend, PNP spokesperson Colonel Jean Fajardo said the police have gathered information that could point to the mastermind behind the killing.

“Kasama po yan ma'am doon sa ginagawa po natin ng case build-up. Mayroon na po tayong indication na alam na po natin kung sino po yung pinaka-utak po dito sa nangyaring pagpatay po sa dalawang biktima po,” Fajardo said.

(In our case build-up we have an indication as to who may be the mastermind behind the killing of our two victims.)

“May nakikita na po tayong clear indication kung bakit humantong sa pagpatay po nitong dalawang biktima,” she added.

(We can see a clear indication as to why these two victims were killed.)

The search for the victims at the quarry site was launched after the Tarlac City Regional Trial Court Branch 111 issued a warrant dated July 5, 2024.

The Israeli Embassy on Sunday mourned the deaths of the victims, and said it will assist Cohen's family in repatriating his remains back to Israel.

Meanwhile, Lopez's remains were cremated and a wake is ongoing in Minalin, Pampanga. —with reports from Giselle Ombay and Celine Serquiña/KG/BM, GMA Integrated News