A 19-year-old university freshman was brutally murdered during a robbery at her home in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines, on 9 Jul 2025.
Sophia Marie Coquilla was found dead in her bedroom in a pool of blood, having suffered at least 38 stab wounds.
University Student Killed After Witnessing Robbery
Coquilla, a high-achieving student and campus journalist, had recently begun her studies at the prestigious University of the Philippines Diliman. She aspired to become a journalist.
Based on initial investigations, police said since the victim had seen the suspects’ faces, they “decided to kill her out of fear of being caught.”
A 17-year-old suspect reportedly told investigators that he and the group’s leader took turns stabbing Coquilla after she woke up and saw their faces. He also admitted they had been drinking prior to the attack, Tagum police chief Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Deles told Rappler.
Several of Coquilla’s belongings were taken, including a laptop, a cell phone, a tablet, and a watch.
Four Suspects Arrested Including Three Minors
All four suspects – three of whom are minors – have since been arrested.
They were identified through CCTV footage that showed a group of youths repeatedly passing by Coquilla’s residence in the days leading up to the attack.
The first two suspects, both minors, were apprehended in a joint hot-pursuit operation. Two others, including a young adult believed to have led the break-in, were later caught in Davao City.
The fourth arrest was a young adult who is suspected to have led the break-in at her house. He was also reportedly carrying an unlicensed firearm at the time of arrest.
Her alma mater mourned her passing, saying her “kindness, brilliance, and gentle spirit touched many”, further adding that her loss was felt across “our university community”.
According to Rappler, her murder has intensified calls to revisit the juvenile justice law, with critics questioning “legal protections for minors involved in violent crimes”.
Coquilla’s murder has sparked national outrage and intensified scrutiny of the country’s juvenile justice law.
Under Philippine law, children aged 15 and below are exempt from criminal liability and are placed in intervention programmes. Those aged above 15 but below 18 may only be held liable if found to have acted with discernment.
Authorities have assured the public that all suspects will be held accountable in accordance with the law, and that follow-up investigations remain ongoing.
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