The sacrifices made by Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) are profound. Driven by the singular goal of providing a better future, many mothers endure long separation and grueling labor.

Our story today focuses on the heartbreaking sacrifice of Maricel Claveria (41), a mother of five boys from Isabela, who left the Philippines for Canada with the dream of sponsoring her entire family.

A single, chaotic phone call for help during a cold January night marked the end of her dream, and the start of a devastating homicide investigation.

The Fateful, Frantic Call

In January 2009, Maricel was working two jobs in Calgary, Canada—one as a scanner operator at a printing company—steadily saving to bring her five sons to Canada.

On the night of January 17, 2009, around 11:00 PM, 911 dispatchers in Calgary received a series of highly confusing calls.

The first was from a woman reporting that her female friend was calling, crying, and being assaulted somewhere downtown near a church.

Minutes later, a man called 911, reporting the same incident—that his female friend, a Filipina named Maricel, was calling him for help while being attacked.

Dispatchers were bewildered by the calls: the victim was clearly being assaulted, yet she was calling friends, not the police directly. It was theorized that Maricel, in her panic, had randomly speed-dialed a contact number.

Police attempted to call Maricel’s phone, but the calls went straight to voicemail. Detective Russ, recognizing the urgency and the unusual nature of the plea, knew they had to find Maricel immediately, but they had no location.

The Brutality of the Crime

The search proved difficult in the freezing climate. The following morning, January 19, 2009, a witness walking near the Franklin station LRT (light-rail transit) saw a body near a church.

Maricel’s lifeless body was found, suffering such severe facial injuries that she was almost unrecognizable. Her lower clothing was partially removed.

Detective Russ, devastated that he had not checked that area sooner, knelt beside the body, overwhelmed by the sight of the most brutal homicide he had ever encountered.

The autopsy confirmed the brutality: Maricel died from blunt force trauma, sustaining catastrophic injuries across her face and body. She had also been subjected to sexual abuse.

Experts determined that the fatal injuries were inflicted by a heavy, hard object, later identified as the suspect’s steel-toed boots.

The victim’s coworkers confirmed that Maricel had sent money home every two weeks to support her family, making her loss even more painful for her five sons.

The Killer’s Vicious History

The investigation quickly shifted to identifying the attacker. Police reviewed CCTV footage from the LRT station, which showed a man stalking women passengers before focusing on Maricel.

The suspect, identified as Christopher Wagar (22), was a steel worker with a deeply violent past. Wagar had a history of theft and assault and had served time for the unlawful de@th of his own mother when he was a teenager.

Crucially, Wagar had been temporarily released on bail for assault and theft charges only seven months before the fatal assault on Maricel.

CCTV footage captured Wagar following Maricel closely as she left the LRT station at 11:00 PM. Timeline analysis of phone records confirmed Maricel’s last distress call was made moments after she left the station.

The DNA retrieved from the scene—including seminal fluid and DNA from a cooler and a helmet left behind—was cross-referenced with prison records.

A match was found: the DNA belonged to Christopher Wagar.

Wagar was quickly arrested at a friend’s house, where he had been hiding out, claiming to have been involved in a fight with his brother. Police recovered his boots and clothes, which matched the injuries on Maricel’s body.

Wagar later confessed that he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol and illegal substances that night. He claimed he mistook Maricel for his de@d mother, which was part of his psychological defense.

He admitted to assaulting Maricel in the face to induce amnesia so she would not remember his identity. He had continued the assault, hitting her repeatedly with his heavy steel-toed boots.

The prosecution rejected his psychological claims, arguing that Wagar’s actions were calculated, citing the CCTV footage that showed him deliberately selecting a victim.

Justice for the Orphaned Sons

Christopher Wagar was convicted of First-Degree Murder and sexual assault. The judge, noting the severity of the crime and the suspect’s refusal to plead guilty, sentenced him to life imprisonment, with parole eligibility only after 25 years.

Maricel’s family, heartbroken but satisfied with the sentence, was relieved that justice had finally been served for their sister.

In a profound act of compassion, Maricel’s employer and the community rallied together, establishing a trust fund for her five orphaned sons, totaling nearly PHP 5 million, ensuring her sacrifice provided the financial future she had dreamed of.