EP19: Buried in the Septic Tank: The Evelyn Sayos Case | Philippines’ Most Shocking Stories

The Shocking Discovery: A Mother's Tragic Fate

The Start of a Disturbing Investigation

• Workers renovating a house in Dasmariñas, Cavite, discovered IDs, an ATM, and a passport while breaking the cement floor. The passport belonged to a woman who had been missing for four years.

• Upon further digging, they found the body of Maria Evelyn Sayos wrapped in a sack and buried inside the septic tank of the house.

Unraveling Family Ties

• Maria Evelyn Sayos was identified as the victim; her daughter Joanna and Joanna's boyfriend Ronald were implicated as suspects in her murder.

• The investigation revealed that Evelyn's son had been searching for his mother for four years while her body lay concealed in their yard.

Background on Maria Evelyn Sayos

• Evelyn was described by relatives as kind and hardworking; she raised two children alone after becoming a widow in 2011. She dedicated herself to providing them with a good life and education.

• In 2014, tensions arose when Joanna became pregnant at sixteen and moved in with her boyfriend Ronald, leading to increased family strain despite initial acceptance from Evelyn.

Escalating Tensions Leading to Murder

• By August 2016, after two years of living together, conflicts escalated between Evelyn, Joanna, and Ronald. They devised a plan to kill Evelyn out of resentment built over time.

• On August 15th, John (Evelyn’s son) informed his mother he would not be home that night; this left only Joanna and Ronald with her when they executed their plan the following day.

The Execution of the Crime

• On August 16th, after breakfast under false pretenses of a surprise celebration post-Evelyn's birthday, Ronald attacked her with a hammer when she turned away. Despite initially thinking she was dead, he later confirmed she was still alive before fatally stabbing her multiple times upon Joanna's instruction to fetch a knife.

Cover-Up Attempts

• After killing Evelyn, Ronald bathed and then served food to Joanna before dragging her body outside to bury it in the septic tank along with personal items like IDs and an ATM card sealed with cement to conceal evidence.

• They monitored for any signs of blood leakage from the septic tank while attempting to maintain normalcy around John's inquiries about their mother's whereabouts after several days without contact from her.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Evelyn Sayos

John's Growing Concern

• John felt increasingly uneasy about his mother's absence, especially as months passed without communication. He last saw her in August 2016.

• In October 2016, he received a belated birthday message from his mother’s social media account, but she consistently refused video calls and did not post new photos.

• A significant red flag was Joanna's lack of interest in finding their mother; she dismissed John's concerns by suggesting their mother was happy in Singapore.

• John reached out to his mother's friends for information, only to discover that Joanna's claims about them fetching Evelyn were false.

• By July 2018, after much deliberation, John filed a missing persons report with the police due to his growing suspicions and need to support himself financially.

Uncovering the Truth

• After working at a call center following his studies, John faced family turmoil when Joanna and Ronald broke up in 2019, leaving him alone at home.

• In July 2020, John began renovations on their kitchen and backyard; during this process, workers discovered Evelyn’s IDs and passport buried under cement.

• The discovery of these personal items made John anxious as it indicated something sinister regarding his mother's disappearance after four years.

• Despite attempts to break through the thick cement where they found the IDs, progress was slow until they borrowed a jackhammer on July 22nd.

• Upon breaking through the cement layers, an awful smell emerged leading John to contact the police as he feared what they might find next.

The Gruesome Discovery

• John's worst fears were confirmed when human bones were found among the debris; he recognized clothing belonging to his mother attached to the remains.

• An autopsy later confirmed that the remains belonged to Evelyn Sayos; this revelation shattered John's belief that she had been living happily abroad all along.

Confessions and Contradictions

• Police apprehended Joanna and Ronald separately; both confessed but provided conflicting accounts of events surrounding Evelyn's death at Dasmariñas Police Station.

• According to Joanna's statement, Ronald killed Evelyn after an argument in July 2016; she claimed she tried unsuccessfully to stop him before fleeing the house out of fear for her own safety.

• Ronald’s confession contradicted Joanna’s claim—he stated that she handed him the knife used in the murder while also threatening her if she went to authorities about it afterward.

Final Confirmation

• As investigations progressed, authorities conducted DNA tests confirming that the remains matched those of both John and Joanna—solidifying their connection as family members of Evelyn's body found buried beneath their home.

• The identification included specific details like a metal brace on one hand which belonged to Evelyn due to prior surgery—a detail only known by her family members including John himself who recognized it immediately upon seeing it again.(1126)

Justice for Evelyn

• Following thorough investigations into this tragic case spanning four years since her disappearance—Joanna faced charges for parricide while Ronald was charged with murder based on evidence collected throughout this ordeal.(1153)

• Their attempt at concealing such heinous acts behind layers of cement ultimately failed—the truth surfaced despite efforts made over time indicating no secret can remain hidden forever.(1153)