The last video of Marville Fanguan Tuar Konjanc is almost too painful to watch. Filmed on December 28, 2024, the 27-year-old Filipina is radiant, sitting in the passenger seat of a car, smiling and dancing as her new husband, Micha Konjanc, drives them toward a holiday resort in Slovenia. It was the picture of a fairy tale come true: a young woman from the Philippines who had found love with a European man, embarking on her first winter vacation in a new country.

But this vibrant, joyful image was a fleeting illusion. Less than 24 hours later, the happy music would be replaced by horrifying screams, and the romantic getaway would end in a blood-soaked apartment, leaving a family in the Philippines shattered and the world asking how a whirlwind romance could end in such brutal, inexplicable violence.

Marville was described by her family as cheerful, kind, and ambitious. Born in Oriental Mindoro, she moved to Manila to build a life for herself, eventually landing a job at a laser clinic. Like many young women her age, she loved sharing her life online.

It was likely on a dating app that she met Micha Konjanc, a 30-year-old from Slovenia who had built a public persona as a weight-loss motivational speaker. Micha’s brand was one of transformation; he spoke at schools about mental health, overcoming obesity, and personal growth, earning praise for his ability to inspire others.

Their connection was immediate and intense. The relationship officially began on April 10, 2024, and Micha quickly flew to the Philippines to meet Marville in person. Their social media accounts soon became a highlight reel of a perfect romance. Photos showed them exploring Palawan, trying street food, and attending an Adventist church together, their shared faith deepening their bond.

To outsiders, they were “couple goals.” But their love story was on an accelerated, almost frantic, timeline. After just three months of dating, they were engaged on July 15. A mere 14 days later, on July 29, they were married in an intimate ceremony.

The reality of a long-distance relationship set in when Micha had to return to Slovenia. “LDR is hard,” he wrote on Facebook in August. “Can’t wait to see you again soon and then for forever, My Wife.” The separation was temporary.

On December 22, 2024, Marville took her first-ever trip to Europe, flying to Slovenia to begin her new life. Micha greeted her at the airport with flowers, posting “Life is good.” Marville happily shared photos of her new world, meeting her mother-in-law and sister-in-law and celebrating what Micha called the “best Christmas so far.”

But the dream unraveled with terrifying speed. On December 29, just three days before the New Year, residents in their apartment building heard disturbing noises—a loud argument, followed by the piercing screams of a woman. A neighbor, fearing the worst, called the police.

When officers arrived, they found the apartment door locked. The fire department was called to force it open. The scene inside was one of utter horror. Marville lay on the floor in a pool of blood, lifeless. She had been stabbed multiple times. Nearby stood her husband, Micha, dazed and catatonic behind a makeshift barricade he had erected.

Micha was taken into custody but was quickly transferred to a psychiatric ward, as he showed clear signs of a severe mental breakdown. As investigators dug into his past, a darker picture emerged. His motivational speaking career was born from his own trauma; he had reportedly been severely bullied for his weight as a child, leading to long-standing mental health issues for which he was receiving treatment.

The most shocking allegation, however, came from an anonymous online account in a Slovenian forum. The user, “Los Bandidos,” claimed that Micha had gone to a psychiatric hospital on December 28—the very day he filmed the happy video of Marville—begging to be admitted.

He allegedly told doctors he was extremely agitated with his wife and was terrified that he might kill her. Instead of admitting him, the hospital reportedly gave him medication and sent him home. If true, the crime was not just an act of passion but potentially a catastrophic failure of the mental healthcare system.

In the aftermath, as Marville’s family cried for justice, the court of public opinion delivered its own cruel verdict. Online forums and social media comments sections became a cesspool of victim-blaming. Racist tropes were deployed, with users claiming “all Filipina women are the same,” interested only in money and a foreign passport.

Others speculated wildly that Marville must have been caught cheating or that she was financially abusing her husband. “That’s what materialistic people get,” one comment read. The narrative, for some, was set: a naive but greedy woman had rushed into marriage with a foreigner and paid the ultimate price.

But contrasting accounts also surfaced. A user claiming to have known Micha in high school described him as always having been a “weird” and “quiet” person with a “psycho smile,” who only became obsessively religious after meeting Marville. The truth of their relationship—the private struggles, the potential financial pressures, the dynamic behind closed doors—was buried under layers of speculation.

The Philippine Embassy in Vienna is now working to repatriate Marville’s body, while the Slovenian government is cooperating with the investigation. Micha Konjanc remains in a forensic psychiatry department, facing a murder charge that could see him imprisoned for 30 years to life.

For Marville’s family, the grief is compounded by the ugly online narratives that have attempted to stain her memory. The fairy tale is over, and all that remains is the devastating reality that because of the violent end to her life, we will only ever hear one side of the story.