A person who was reportedly missing for days was found dead and dismembered inside a house in Caloocan City on Friday, Feb. 21.
The Northern Police District (NPD) identified the victim as "Shalani," 37, a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.
The victim’s decomposing body was discovered after a foul smell emanated from a house in Barangay 176, Bagong Silang, where a tattoo artist, now considered a person of interest, was reportedly residing.
Authorities found the victim’s legs stored in an ice cooler, with the body wrapped in a mattress.
The victim’s relatives said they are unaware of any connection between Shalani and the tattoo artist.
Police suspect that two or three people were involved in the crime.
Meanwhile, Shalani’s family and friends turned to social media to seek justice.
“Justice para sayo. Hindi makatarungan yung ginawa sayo, sana mahuli na at matunton kung saan nagtatago yun… (Justice will be served. What happened to you was cruel. I hope they find and arrest the suspect soon),” they said.
The NPD has launched a manhunt to arrest the suspect while investigating the motive for the killing.