Suspect in rape-slay of 8-year-old girl in Lucena City found dead in jail
LUCENA CITY – The primary suspect in the rape-slay of an 8-year-old girl on May 31 allegedly committed suicide inside the city jail early Sunday, June 4.
Lieutenant Colonel Ruben Ballera Jr., Lucena police chief, said the body of Julius Rodas, 19, was found dead inside the toilet room of the jail facility.
“Based on our initial investigation, the incident happened between 12 to 1 a.m.,” Ballera said in a phone interview.
The police are conducting further investigation.
READ: 8-year-old girl raped, slain by addict in Lucena City
On May 31, Rodas reported to the village officials that he found the naked remains of a girl lying in the grassy portion of Barangay Gulang-Gulang.
But during the backtracking of all the footage from closed-circuit cameras in the vicinity, the investigators found out that the victim was with Rodas before she was raped and killed.
During the investigation, Rodas allegedly admitted responsibility for the crime and disclosed that he gave P100 to the girl to go with him to the spot where he raped and killed her.
The police identified Rodas as a known rugby user.
The suspect reportedly admitted that he sniffed solvent before he raped his victim and strangled her to death.
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If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please reach out to the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH). Their crisis hotlines are available at 1553 (Luzon-wide landline toll-free), 0917-899-USAP (8727), 0966-351-4518, and 0908-639-2672. For more information, visit their website: (https://doh.gov.ph/NCMH-Crisis-Hotline)
Alternatively, you can contact Hopeline PH at the following numbers: 0917-5584673, 0918-8734673, 88044673. Additional resources are available at ngf-mindstrong.org, or connect with them on Facebook at Hopeline PH.
