Police have arrested three of four suspects in the July 12, 2026, killing of 73-year-old American marine biologist Dr. Kent Edward Carpenter inside his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
PNP Public Information Office Chief Col. Allen Rae Co stated that initial investigations indicate a robbery gone wrong, noting that one suspect had previously performed repair work at the couple's residence.
Authorities are conducting a comprehensive medical examination on the victim’s live-in partner to verify allegations of sexual assault, while a fourth suspect in the incident remains at large.
POLICE have arrested three of the four suspects allegedly involved in the killing of Dr. Kent Edward Carpenter, a 73-year-old American marine biologist based in Negros Oriental who was slain on Sunday night, July 12, 2026.
Initial investigations pointed to a robbery that went wrong as the motive behind the killing and indicated it was not related to Carpenter’s work, police said.
During a press conference on Thursday, July 16, Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office Chief Col. Allen Rae Co said three suspects had been arrested. He identified them through their aliases — Mo, the 21-year-old alleged gunman; JF, identified as the one who sexually assaulted Carpenter’s live-in partner; and another suspect who served as the lookout.
“The lookout’s narrative corroborates the statement of the live-in partner. They entered the house at around 11:30 p.m. Alias Mo immediately shot our American victim. Alias JF then took the live-in partner to a room, where she was allegedly raped or sexually assaulted, while the third suspect acted as the lookout,” Co said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
“All indicators, as of this time, point to the fact that this is just a robbery gone wrong. We are still looking at all angles, but as of now this points to the fact the crime is not related to the victim’s occupation or work,” he added.
Co also clarified earlier reports that appeared to contradict the live-in partner’s claim that she had been sexually assaulted.
“It turns out the report received by the PNP Negros provincial director initially came from the health officer of Sibulan. It was properly done but it was not a complete rape evaluation or assessment or examination that was done,” he said.
Medical examination
Co said the victim’s live-in partner will undergo a more comprehensive medical examination as part of standard procedure to determine whether she was sexually assaulted during the incident.
The examination is expected to provide a clearer assessment of her condition and help investigators verify the allegation against one of the suspects.
Carpenter was killed inside his home in Sibulan town while he and his live-in partner were watching television. He was shot in the head at close range.
The three suspects were arrested in the same town, while one alleged accomplice remains at large.
According to Co, one of the suspects had previously performed repair work at the couple’s residence, which may have allowed him to become familiar with the property before the attack.
A globally recognized marine scientist, Carpenter made significant contributions to marine biodiversity research in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. He also played a key role in the Philippines’ successful arbitration case against China over the West Philippine Sea, serving as one of the country’s scientific expert witnesses before the arbitral tribunal. / CDF