Suspect in engineering student slaying surrenders

ANGELES CITY -- The suspect in the killing of Danielle Louise "Danni" Huet Conde, a freshman engineering student of Holy Angel University (HAU), surrendered Friday to authorities in Lourdes Sur village in this city.

The suspect, identified as Rolando Estrada, however, denied he was the one who killed Conde, who was stabbed to death inside her apartment in Barangay Santo Cristo in the afternoon of March 2.

PAMPANGA. Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan shows a cartographic sketch and a photograph of the slay suspect, Rolando Estrada, who surrendered to authorities Friday. Looking on is Angeles City Police Director Senior Superintendent Jose Hidalgo. (Chris Navarro)

Police said the suspect planned to rob the victim, who put up a fight as evidenced by signs of struggle. Conde, 17, sustained stab wounds on her right upper chest, with an artery near her heart damaged, said reports.

The suspect, a resident of Barangay Lourdes Sur, fear for his life and surrendered to barangay officials, said village councilmen Alberto Reyes and Nilo Malonzo.

Reyes and Malonzo said they immediately informed Capas Mayor Antonio Rodriguez Jr., who is also a family friend of the Condes.

Officials of Barangay Lourdes Sur also sought the assistance of Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, who helped in the surrender of the suspect.

Estrada was taken to the Angeles City Police Office in Barangay Santo Domingo Friday afternoon.

Witnesses positively identified the suspect as the man who went out from the victim's house on that fateful day.

After the incident, witnesses said the suspect boarded a red mountain bike with yellow orange rim and sped off toward Espeleta St. in Barangay Lourdes Sur East, straight to the old PNR railway.

Police filed robbery with homicide case before the City Prosecutor's Office against the suspect.

Holy Angel University Engineering student Dannielle “Danni” Conde, 17, was stabbed dead at her apartment on Saturday. (Contributed photo)

A relative of the victim said she was happy about the development, saying "magkakaroon na po ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ni Danni."

"Masaya po kami kasi sumuko na ang suspect isang araw bago ang libing ng aking pamangkin (We are glad the suspect surrendered a day before my niece’s burial)," she added.

Hundreds of students and teachers from HAU are expected to attend the burial rites at 8:30 p.m. today, March 9, at the Sunset Memorial Park in Barangay Aranguren, Capas, Tarlac.

Conde was a varsity player of Taekwondo and the Miss Engineering and Architecture of HAU. (Chris Navarro/Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)