Beauty queen Geneva Lopez and her Israeli boyfriend Yitshak Cohen were found dead in Capas, Tarlac, as confirmed by Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda on Saturday, July 6. Their remains were discovered in a remote area earlier that day, following a two-week search.
“Malungkot ko po na ibinabalita sa inyo na natagpuan na ang mga bangkay ng kabalen natin na si Geneva Lopez at ang kanyang kasintahan na si Yitshak Cohen sa isang lugar sa Sta. Lucia sa Capas, Tarlac pagkatapos silang mawala ng dalawang linggo,” Pineda shared in a Facebook post. “Kinumpirma po ito ng pulis base sa kasuotan at gamit ng mga biktima.”
ABS-CBN News reported that the bodies of a man and a woman were found in Capas, Tarlac, in the morning of July 6. Initially unidentified, the remains were later confirmed to be those of Lopez and Cohen after police verified their clothing and personal items.
Lopez and Cohen were reported missing by her family on June 21, according to the Angeles City Police Office. The couple had informed relatives they were heading to Capas, Tarlac, to inspect a property they were interested in purchasing. According to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Jean Fajardo, a former police officer from Angeles, who acted as a middleman in the transaction, accompanied them to the property.
On June 22, the Capas Fire Station responded to a vehicle fire on the road in Tarlac. Inside the burnt sports utility vehicle, authorities found Lopez’s belongings, including her identification card. This discovery raised suspicions and intensified the search for the missing couple.
In a press briefing on July 2, the PNP announced they had identified persons of interest related to the couple’s disappearance. Fajardo mentioned that they had “very good leads” but refrained from providing further details at that time.
Governor Pineda expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and vowed to assist in seeking justice for Lopez and Cohen. “Ipagdasal po natin ang kanilang kaluluwa. Nakikiramay po ako sa mga pamilya. Patuloy po akong tutulong sa paghahanap ng hustisya para kay Geneva at Yitshak,” he added.
The tragic deaths of Geneva Lopez and Yitshak Cohen have left their families and the community in mourning. Authorities are continuing their investigation to bring those responsible to justice.