Blanca, Nida (1936–2001)

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Blanca, Nida (1936–2001)

Filipino actress. Born Dorothy Acueza Jones, Jan 6, 1936, in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; murdered Nov 7, 2001, in San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines; out-of-wedlock dau. of John William Jones Jr. (half-American) and Inocencia Guinto; m. 2nd husband Roger Lawrence Strunk (American actor, known as Rod Lauren), 1981; children: (1st m.) Kay.

During a 50-year film career, starred in over 160 films, usually as a spunky, strong-willed woman; often appeared on tv; was repeatedly stabbed and left to die in the back seat of her car in a parking garage in Greenhills, San Juan; her death caused an outpouring of grief in the Philippines, and the killer surrendered to police 2 weeks later, saying he had been hired by her husband (he later claimed he'd been tortured to confess and point the finger at Strunk); husband is fighting extradition from US.

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