Rape with homicide raps filed against suspect in killing of 17-year-old girl in Toledo City

A charge of rape with homicide has been filed on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, against the alleged suspect in the killing of a 17-year-old girl in Toledo City. | Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Police have filed a case of rape with homicide against the man accused of raping and killing a 17-year-old student whose body was found in a grassy area in Toledo City on Friday morning, August 25, 2023.

Jonathan “Atan” Sugabo, 29, a farmer, was first invited by the police to the station as a person of interest (POI) to the rape and killing of Grade 12 student, Sharmaine Flores.

However, he was later tagged as an alleged suspect on the same day and was arrested by police.

READ: 17-year-old girl found half naked, dead in Toledo City, Cebu

Police Staff Sergeant Richard Oberez, the investigator from the Toledo City Police Station, told CDN Digital in a phone interview, that a case of rape with homicide has been filed against Sugabo at the Toledo City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday afternoon, August 29, 2023.

He added that the complainant was the victim’s mother, Anna Maria Flores.

Autopsy result reveals rape

Police received the results of the autopsy report of the victim’s body on Tuesday morning, August 29, said Oberez.

He added that the report showed that the victim had vaginal lacerations which allowed the police to conclude that the victim was raped.

“Makita nato nga naay laceration so amo nang gipasaka ang rape with homicide,” he said.

READ: Rape charges filed against Chappy cab driver for allegedly assaulting girl in Carcar

He added that the victim lost her life after being choked based on the lacerations found on her neck.

Oberez also said that a DNA swab was taken from the alleged suspect but they are still waiting for the result of the test.

He narrated that an eyewitness, who is a neighbor of both the victim and the suspect, allegedly saw Sugabo in the area where the incident happened on the night before the girl’s body was discovered.

The shirt that the witness allegedly saw the suspect was wearing on the night of the incident was recovered by the police from the suspect’s residence, said Oberez.

According to Oberez, the accounts of the witness and the clothing that they recovered from the alleged suspect are solid pieces of evidence that prove that Sugabo was responsible for the crime.

Suspect denies allegation

However, Sugabo continues to deny the allegations against him, according to Oberez.

The alleged rape suspect is now detained at the Toledo City Police Station.

The 17-year-old victim, identified as Sharmaine Flores was last seen alive by her family on Thursday evening, August 24, 2023,  before she left their house to buy a cellphone load at a friend’s store.

Toledo City is a 3rd class component city located approximately 47 kilometers southwest of Cebu City.    /rcg

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