Woman found dead in storage box possibly killed in crime of passion—officials

Warning: This article includes mention of graphic content.

Authorities continue to build on the week-old case of an allegedly murdered woman found stuffed in a storage box in Camarines Norte on Jan. 2. They are exploring the possibility of a crime of passion. 

According to police, residents saw the black plastic storage box floating under the Pinagwarasan Bridge in Basud, Camarines Norte early morning of Jan. 2. When authorities opened the box, they found the lifeless body of a woman wrapped in a blanket. 

On the evening of Jan. 5, Basud Municipal Police positively identified the deceased as Anelis Agocoy, 38, a resident of Catarman, Camiguin, after receiving a call from her friend. 

Based on a report by 24 Oras, a man loaded the storage box containing Agocoy's body onto a bus in Calamba, Laguna bound for Daet past 9 p.m. on Jan. 1.

Police traced the man from a bar code on the adhesive tape used to seal the box. Hours after CCTV footage caught the man buying the tape, another camera caught him at the bus station. 

Shortly past midnight on Jan. 7, the suspect, Arnel Domingo, Jr., a 35-year-old security guard, turned himself in to the Rosario Municipal Police Station. 

Authorities are now exploring the possibility of a crime of passion. Domingo and Agocoy were supposedly live-in partners. 

Domingo's father told 24 Oras that his son and the victim fought after the suspect saw photos on social media of his partner with another person. 

According to the father, his son arrived home drunk the afternoon of Jan. 1. Domingo's father then narrated how the fight between his son and Agocoy turned violent, which supposedly warranted Domingo to act in self-defense. 

"Nagbasag ng bote, sinaksak siya. 'Yung pag-iwas niya, parang naitulak niya. Pagbagsak niya, inaano niya, tinitingnan niya, hindi daw gumagalaw," said the father. 

After realizing Agocoy was lifeless, Domingo allegedly panicked and placed her body in a storage box. 

"Maaari pong self-defense lang; naniniwala po ako. Hindi ko maisip na gagawin niya kasi napakabait ng batang 'yan," the father said. 

However, according to the autopsy report, Agocoy's body showed signs of asphyxia due to suffocation, which is an indication of a possible strangulation. 

An ABS-CBN report quoted Agocoy's cousin recounting how her cousin had previously called home to Catarman, Camiguin, and told her mother that Domingo was giving her death threats.

"Tapos nagkuwento 'yung pinsan ko sa ina niya, nagsabi pa daw 'yung suspek na papatayin daw po siya," Abamongan told police. 

The suspect allegedly also told Agocoy that if something happened to her, no one would look for her. 

The suspect, Domingo, is facing murder charges.