Elvie Sigod, born and raised in Baguio, embarked on the difficult journey of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) in 2006, leaving her young daughter, Angelica, behind to seek a better life in Toronto, Canada.

Elvie dedicated a decade to hard work, transforming herself from a simple caregiver into a Canadian citizen and a successful small business owner.

Her perseverance was rewarded when she was finally able to sponsor her 16-year-old daughter, Angelica, to join her in Toronto.

Their life in Canada was a testament to the Filipino-Canadian dream: Angelica thrived in school, proving intelligent and kind, and Elvie maintained a strong community connection, particularly through her church, the Lord of Glory International Ministries, where she trained to become a preacher.

Their world revolved around kindness, faith, and the promise of a future built on Elvie’s hard-earned success.

However, in August 2022, this meticulously built life was violently extinguished, becoming the focus of a shocking homicide case that left the Filipino community reeling.

The Betrayal of a Second Chance

The culprit, identified as Godfrey Sigod, was Elvie’s estranged husband and Angelica’s father.

The court proceedings revealed that years before Elvie emigrated, their marriage in the Philippines was marked by Godfrey’s hot temper and violent, abusive behavior, leading to their long separation.

However, in 2019, after years of silence and non-support, Elvie was approached by Godfrey’s mother, who pleaded with her to help 46-year-old Godfrey immigrate to Canada, promising he was reformed and ready to be a supportive family man.

Against all logic, Elvie sponsored her abusive husband, allowing him to move into their Toronto home. The Crown Prosecutor explained Elvie’s decision through two lenses: her innate goodness and her deep faith.

As a devout Christian training to be a church leader, Elvie believed in the core Biblical principle of forgiveness, seeing it as her duty to offer Godfrey a chance at redemption.

She hoped that guiding him and praying for him would eventually lead to his change, providing her with a powerful life testimony.

Initially, Godfrey kept his promise, but the façade quickly crumbled. The abusive, controlling behavior returned, compounded by alcohol use and increasing financial dependence on Elvie.

He was openly violent in front of Angelica, once even screaming at his daughter, “I should have caused your loss of life years ago,” when Angelica tried to stop him from consuming all the food in the house.

Elvie finally accepted that Godfrey would never change, realizing he posed a danger to her life and Angelica’s.

The Final Demand

By 2022, Elvie had secretly moved to legally separate from Godfrey. The final breaking point came when Elvie demanded that Godfrey pay back the $3,500 Canadian Dollars she had spent to sponsor his Permanent Residency visa.

This demand enraged Godfrey, who saw it as the final humiliation. He vehemently refused the divorce and began issuing severe threats, telling Elvie she would regret it if she proceeded with the separation.

On August 26, 2022, Godfrey contacted Elvie, claiming he was ready to pay the money and requesting a meeting. When they met, however, Godfrey resumed his verbal threats.

The situation escalated violently in the car. During the confrontation, Godfrey, overwhelmed by anger and pride, took out a knife.

He viciously assaulted Elvie, and when Angelica, the daughter, intervened in a desperate attempt to save her mother, Godfrey turned the weapon on her.

Both women suffered multiple, severe wounds—30 wounds on Elvie and 20 on Angelica—succumbing to their injuries in the devastating attack.

The Unwavering Lie

After the act, Godfrey showed no remorse. He calmly asked the de@d bodies, “Why did you do this? Was it worth $3,500?” He blamed them for his actions, claiming Elvie was greedy and Angelica was disrespectful.

During the trial, Godfrey attempted to plea down to manslaughter, claiming self-defense and provocation (suggesting Elvie was money-hungry and Angelica was disrespectful). He even suggested Elvie was unfaithful.

However, the prosecution used Elvie’s earlier police interview footage, where she detailed Godfrey’s threats, to prove that the attack was premeditated.

The jury rejected all of Godfrey’s self-serving claims. In March 2025, Godfrey Sigod was convicted of First-Degree Murder (for Elvie) and Second-Degree Murder (for Angelica).

The judge sentenced Godfrey to life imprisonment, with parole eligibility after 25 years for Elvie’s loss and 18 years for Angelica’s loss.

Upon completing his sentence, Godfrey, who never obtained citizenship, will be deported back to the Philippines. The verdict provided closure to the community, condemning the ultimate betrayal of trust and forgiveness.