Alona Daniela Alvarez was born in 1998 in Bagong Sandalan, a small barangay in Zamboanga del Norte. While specific family details are limited, her social media profile indicates she graduated from Shari John Romer National High School and later attended college.

Like most young adults, she was navigating her adolescent period, developing a sense of curiosity about the world and expanding her social circles. Her world broadened significantly once she acquired a personal cellphone, allowing her to connect with friends and family quickly via Facebook and social media. She was consistently described as a cheerful and smiling young woman.

However, the seemingly simple life of the Alvarez family was shattered when, on January 28, 2015, they received a devastating call from a morgue. Alona had been found lifeless in a hotel in Dipolog City. The shocking news immediately spread through their community. Those who did not know her personally were left to wonder what the 17-year-old Alona was doing in a hotel room and who was with her.

Authorities responded immediately to the call from the hotel receptionist and began investigating the crime scene, while Alona’s body was transferred for an autopsy. Initially, officials were discreet about the details of her fate, but media reports quickly hinted at a brutal death. Funeral parlor staff revealed they had difficulty reconstructing the young woman’s face due to the severity of the wounds she had sustained.

As Alona’s wake proceeded, police quietly continued their intensive investigation. Less than a week after the discovery of her body, news broke that the prime suspect had been apprehended. The perpetrator was identified as Ali Ali, an Australian national. Authorities noted that his hands were visibly swollen from injuries. Through forensic analysis of Alona’s cellphone and her online activity, investigators uncovered that despite a considerable 25-year age difference, Ali and Alona were romantically involved.

While the exact timeline of their connection is not clear, records showed that the Australian had initiated the first message. Their online conversations became frequent and intense, and Alona’s social media posts in January 2015 confirmed that their relationship was public knowledge among her circle. Investigators also revealed documentation proving the Australian provided financial support to the young woman, having reportedly sent her a total of approximately 50,000 Australian dollars.

Following their extensive virtual communication, Alona accepted Ali’s proposal to meet. Ali purchased a plane ticket, and on January 28, 2015, the 17-year-old Alona, filled with anticipation, traveled to the airport.

For the first time, the couple met face-to-face. From the airport, they proceeded directly to Antonio’s Pension House in Dipolog City. Hotel staff testimonies and CCTV footage confirmed that the pair checked in together. They were scheduled to stay until January 30, when a hotel employee made the horrifying discovery of Alona’s naked and lifeless body.

The subsequent autopsy report detailed the immense suffering inflicted upon her at the hands of her foreign partner. Her injuries were so severe that her family reportedly struggled to recognize her. Nearly all of her teeth were missing. However, the medical examiner determined that the official cause of death was acute respiratory failure—meaning the brutal and relentless assault made it impossible for her to breathe.

The day after his arrest, Ali granted an interview, attempting to justify his actions as self-defense. He alleged that during sexual relations, he mistook Alona for a transgender person, leading to an argument. He claimed Alona bit his genitals, and in his subsequent pain and shock, his vision blurred, forcing him to defend himself.

While investigators were skeptical of his testimony, they were certain of one thing: Ali had been under the influence of drugs. Along with other items found in the room, they discovered marijuana, strongly suggesting drug use at the time of the murder. Regardless of his defense, authorities were confident that the physical evidence collected was overwhelmingly strong.

The Australian was formally charged with murder, a crime punishable by up to 40 years in a Philippine prison, along with a charge of illegal possession of drugs for the marijuana found.

As the case awaited trial, The Sydney Morning Herald, a major news source in Australia, brought the story to international attention.

Their article, published in February 2015, revealed that Ali was a master of concealment. The kind and generous persona he presented to Alona was a stark contrast to his official records.

Documents from the Victoria police station confirmed that Ali had accumulated over 100 police records. Australian authorities were entirely unsurprised by the events, noting his long history of violence and volatile temper.

His most egregious prior offense was the savage beating of a fellow inmate, Michael Troy, an attack fully captured by CCTV cameras. Though Troy initially stabilized, he suffered permanent brain damage, losing the ability to speak or walk. Three years later, Troy succumbed to his injuries. As a result, Ali’s existing sentence was extended by an additional 15 years. Even this substantial penalty failed to reform his violent tendencies.

In 2011, he was implicated in the murder of another inmate, Colin Johnson, while incarcerated, cementing his status as one of the precinct’s most dangerous prisoners, though the investigation stalled due to missing evidence.

By 2014, Ali had served his 15-year term and was released. The Australian legal system considered him rehabilitated—meaning their government believed he had reformed.

However, they were unaware that he immediately returned to drug use, and the unsuspecting Alona became his next, final victim. She tragically believed she had found a kind, generous partner, ignorant that the man she trusted was a recently released, violent criminal.

Despite the expectation of a lengthy sentence, the four-decade punishment never came. In 2017, Alona’s family submitted an Affidavit of Desistance to the court. This legal document is typically used when the victim’s family chooses not to pursue the case further. The reason for the Alvarez family’s decision remains unreported.

Perhaps they wished to avoid the long, slow, and emotionally draining process of a trial. Some will inevitably speculate that the family received a settlement, while others might suggest they genuinely forgave Ali.

Regardless of their motive, under Philippine law, submitting the affidavit effectively meant that they forgave the Australian and absolved him of the murder charge against their family member.

In 2018, the Australian was released and traveled to Manila. Yet, his freedom was short-lived. Though he evaded the murder conviction, he was arrested again on May 29, 2018, and charged with illegal possession of drugs. According to a spokesperson for the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Ali was caught with two sachets of shabu (methamphetamine) and was apprehended while actively using the drug.

A photograph captured Ali inside a cell at the Quezon City Jail, speaking with Inquirer reporter Jodee Console. The Quezon City Jail, designed to hold only 800 inmates, was reported in 2022 to be severely overcrowded, housing around 3,800 prisoners. An investigation by the New York Post in April 2022 confirmed the extreme congestion, documenting that even the basketball court was used as a sleeping area.

In an interview with a reporter, Ali described the extreme hardship of life inside the jail, particularly during the summer. He mentioned that one cell, measuring only 14 square meters, was originally built for seven people but was currently shared by 40 inmates. He concluded his interview by claiming he had grown used to the difficult conditions and asserted that he had changed from his past behavior. As of this writing, there is no trial date set for the QCPD’s recent drug charges against him.