THE husband of a Filipina American who went missing two years ago in Colorado Springs has been arrested for her murder.
Dane Kallungi, 38, was arrested on Wednesday, June 16, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Jepsy Amaga Kallungi.
According to KKTV 11 News, Kallungi was trying to get onto the Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico when he was arrested.
The Colorado Springs police reportedly issued a warrant for Kallungi’s arrest on June 1, 2021 in connection with Jepsy’s disappearance in 2019, when she was 26 years old.
Kallungi was wanted for a crime allegedly committed on March 20, 2019, the day Jepsy’s mother last spoke with her daughter.
“I just want to know if she’s still alive or dead,” Margie Amaga told KKTV in April 2019.
She added, “I don’t know where she is, why she’s gone.”
The Colorado Springs Police Department Homicide/Assault Unit launched a murder investigation after a wellness call on Jepsy and not finding her.
Local police said that they believe Kallungi strangled Jepsy during a domestic violence incident and buried her body in an unknown location.
“Detectives conducted numerous interviews and executed nearly three dozen search warrants since this investigation was initiated,” said Lt. James Sokolik in a news release.
“Detectives have also recovered and processed numerous items of physical evidence. Based on the testimonial and physical evidence that have been obtained throughout this extensive investigation, Detectives applied for and obtained an arrest warrant for 38-year-old Dane Oliver Kallungi,” he added.
According to Marie Amaga, Kallungi claimed Jepsy had left with a friend to go to the Philippines or Chicago and had not taken her phone or any ID when she disappeared.
In 2017, Jepsy moved to the United States after meeting Kallungi through an online dating site. They married in July of the same year.
Court records showed that the couple filed for divorce in October 2018, but it was never finalized.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation can contact the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000 or the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or (800) 222-8477.
