A renowned US marine biologist, Kent Carpenter, was shot dead by three masked men in the central Philippines, just weeks before his planned retirement. The 73-year-old was at a house in the coastal town of Sibulan, in Negros Oriental province, with his Filipina companion on Sunday night when the men forced their way in.
According to police, one of the attackers drew a gun and shot Carpenter in the head, killing him instantly. The men took a laptop, an unspecified amount of cash, and a backpack before fleeing. Carpenter’s companion suffered injuries and was receiving treatment as investigators tried to determine the motive for the killing and identify the attackers.
Carpenter was a lecturer at Silliman University in Dumaguete city, Negros Oriental, and had worked as a biological sciences professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, since 1996. His research focused on the Philippines and the Coral Triangle between the Indian and Pacific oceans, shaping conservation efforts around the world.
Regional police director Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño assured that the case was being treated with utmost urgency and that no effort would be spared until justice was served. Old Dominion University President Brian Hemphill described Carpenter’s killing as sad and devastating, saying his scholarship and passion impacted and inspired many individuals locally, nationally, and internationally.
Carpenter’s research in marine conservation biology centered on assessing the extinction risks to fish species and plants. He had warned about the dangers of unchecked global warming, saying it could lead to the extinction of all coral reefs on the planet within 100 years.
Several Philippine environment and biodiversity centers mourned Carpenter’s death, with Silliman University describing him as an exceptional scientist who made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of Philippine marine biodiversity.
