A fourth-year nursing student was found strangled inside her home in San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, with police identifying her cousin as the suspect after tracing her missing mobile phone.

Police identified the victim as 21-year-old Ann Pauline Fajardo, a graduating scholar at Wesleyan University-Philippines.

Fajardo was found dead beneath her bed in Barangay Sto. Cristo on 6 September.

An autopsy determined that she died of “asphyxia by strangulation.”

Investigators discovered that Fajardo’s iPhone 16 Plus was missing. Police used Apple’s iCloud and Find My services to locate the device and identify the person allegedly holding it.

The investigation led authorities to a 27-year-old man described as Fajardo’s cousin.

According to a police statement, the suspect executed an extrajudicial confession in the presence of his lawyer.

The suspect allegedly admitted going to Fajardo’s house at about 4:30 a.m. to borrow P5,000.

An argument reportedly followed after Fajardo could not lend him the money. The suspect allegedly admitted strangling her and attempting to make her death appear to be suicide before taking her phone.

Police were preparing a murder complaint against the suspect.

Residents of San Antonio called for justice for Fajardo, whom they remembered as a kind and warm person.