An American marine biologist whose work helped shape a landmark South China Sea ruling is now at the centre of an increasingly personal murder probe in the Philippines. Detectives investigating the shooting of Dr Kent Carpenter say attention has turned from unidentified gunmen to his live-in partner and her brother, after forensic and medical findings undermined her claim that she was raped and hog-tied during the attack.
Carpenter, 73, was killed inside his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on 12 July 2026 while watching television with his 34-year-old companion. Police initially treated the woman as a victim of a home invasion, but site inspections and clinical exams have raised doubts about her account.
