A 66-year-old woman while eating inside her home in Ubay on Monday night was shot dead allegedly by her neighbor over a land dispute.

The fatality, Jovita Cuysona, was eating dinner with her husband Panfilo inside their home in Barangay Imelda at past 8 p.m. when the suspect, Christopher Autentico, 48, shot her in the back, said Staff Sgt. Erico Daigan of the Ubay Police Station.

The suspect shot her from outside the house which was made of light materials.

According to Daigan, the suspect who was already in police custody may have been after Panfilo who was engaged in a land dispute with his brother. Both have been fighting ownership over rice fields and a coconut farm with land area of about three hectares.

Daigain said that Autentico was the errand boy of Panfilo’s brother.

“Kaning bana sa biktima naa niy away sa yuta sa iyang igsuon. Kaning suspect posibli na gisugo ra…,” said Daigan.

Meanwhile, Jovita’s daughter, Gemalyn, positively identified Autentico as the gunman while Panfilo was unable to see who shot his wife.

Gemalyn told police that she looked out the window upon hearing the gunshot and saw Autentico running away from their house.

According to Daigan, they arrested Autentico just an hour after the fatal gun attack.

He was caught inside the house of his neighbor around 600 meters from the crime scene but police were unable to find the murder weapon.

Autentico was charged with murder on Thursday.

He was also subjected to a paraffin test but results have yet to be released.

Daigan said that Autentico had no prior records with the police but he was reported to have been a drug user. (Allen Doydora)