THE Lapu-Lapu City police declared as “case closed”, the murder of 17-year-old college student Karen Kaye Montebon after their primary suspect was gunned down in Bohol last Tuesday morning.
The task force investigating the case will consolidate all reports and submit the documents to the Lapu-Lapu City Legal office to ensure the right recipient for the informant’s reward money of P500,000.
Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas said they found no evidence for any direct involvement of Jenalyn Soon, the 25-year-old girlfriend of the slain suspect, Ruben Fernandez.
While no charges can be filed against her the mother of Karen Kaye, Emilinda can’t help but confront her and partly blamed her for the death of her daughter.
“Nganong gidala pa nimo si Ruben didto. Inyo nalang unta gikawat tanan butang wala nalang unta ninyo hilabti si Karen (Why did you bring Ruben here. You could have stolen everything but spared Karen),” Emilinda told Jenalyn at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office.
Jenalyn said he is aware of Ruben’s involvement in theft cases but she could not believe he killed Karen for some items. Ruben told her he stole the items from a Korean after buying drugs and giving her P500 cash.
Emilinda confirmed all items recovered including the DSLR camera, PSP, earrings, necklace, slippers and bag were theirs.
The DSLR camera recovered from a pawnshop in Lapu-Lapu City was pawned for P7,000 by a friend who told Ruben he pawned it for only P5,000.
The following day, Ruben didn’t come home and Jeralyn said she suspected that he killed Karen after learning about the news. She then left for San Vicente, Olango and called up her sister in Hawaii. Her sister then called the police.
“Wala jud ko kahibaw na mubalik si Ruben didto (I didn’t know that Ruben will return there),” a sobbing Jenalyn told Karen Kaye’s parents. She said she pitied them that’s why she asked her sister’s help.
Senior Supt. Armando Radoc, Lapu-Lapu police chief said they will have to wait for the investigation of the Getage municipal police to identify the group behind his death.