BACOLOD CITY – A family friend of an elderly couple, who was involved in a tragic case of mistaken identity that led to the killing of the 76-year-old wife by her 80-year-old husband in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, has come forward to clarify that the suspect never fled the scene of the crime.
READ MORE: A case of mistaken identity: Elderly man kills wife in Negros City
The family friend, who asked anonymity, disputed a police report which said that the suspect fled and threw the firearm used in the fatal shooting of his wife in a sugar cane field.
“The husband never fled. He asked for help. He was with his wife when the barangay tanods came to their house,” the friend said.
The clarification came as the couple’s family buried the deceased wife on Wednesday, November 11.
Kabankalan City Police Chief Lt. Col. Mary Rose Pico said the family has already executed an affidavit of non-interest in filing any case related to the incident.
“The case is at rest,” Pico said.
She said the incident was a case of mistaken identity based on their investigation.
It was earlier reported that the elderly couple was asleep last November 6 when the husband was awakened by the barking of their dogs as he heard sounds of somebody moving around their house.
He first felt around for his wife, and thought she was just beside him as he thought he had her beside him when, in fact, it was just a pillow that was covered with the blanket.
The husband then noticed someone lurking inside their house, but could not identify the prowler because it was dark.
Fearing that it could be a criminal, he reportedly fired at the person.
However, when he turned on the lights, he saw his wife lying on the floor with a gunshot wound in the head.
The victim was brought to the hospital where she was pronounced dead on-arrival.