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Having a child is a dream for most women, and since it is only nine months, expectant mothers are finding ways to remember the feeling of carrying the baby in their womb.
Aside from selfies, some are taking photos of their bellies or what is now called baby bumps.
In these photos, you can see the women enjoying the results of their photoshoot.
This extraordinary joy is the result of a talented and accomplished photographer known as Denis Ira Marcelo or “Aa” as he is called.
The 36-year-old Filipina was reportedly born and raised in the Philippines before moving to the United States.
She attended Central Kids High School and also graduated from college.
In 2011, 25-year-old Ira was hired as an interior assembly mechanic at Boeing.
There, she met a Cambodian American named Makara.
They hit it off right away.
They later got married.
Their wedding was attended by their close friends.
In these photos, you can see that Ira, as the child of immigrants, has a strong work ethic.
They both knew how difficult it was for their parents to make ends meet.
To provide a good life for their growing family, Ira worked hard to save money.
The couple’s perseverance paid off.
Makara was promoted to team leader at Boeing, where he handled some of the company’s personal affairs.
Once they had saved up, they happily moved into their home in Everett, a neighborhood described as one of the quietest in Washington state.
The report says that being a victim of crime is rare.
The ratio is one in 844, and if we talk about burglary or property crime, the ratio is one in 41, which is very low.
I looked at the aerial Street View where the Soak family lives, and in my personal opinion, it is an ideal place to live especially if you plan to raise a family because of the tranquility of the area.
For several years, Aa happily enjoyed the joy of marriage while they still had no children.
When you can’t see them at the restaurant, the couple happily travels around Washington when they have the chance, but like any other couple, their marriage also goes through its trials, but according to the family of the two, Aa quickly fixed everything.
After about five years, their marriage became even stronger when their son, whom they named Grayson, left them.
If you are a mother who gave birth abroad, you know how difficult it is to be away from your family, but like other challenges in her life, she and Aa got through it without having to take care of her child at the same time.
As a mother and with a full-time job, the business-minded Filipina started a small business called “Cupcakes by Ira,” but the growth she had hoped for did not happen and she closed the business.
But after a year, the determined Aa did not give up, so in order to focus on her plans, she left her stable job at Boeing.
Along with this, she also shared this photo on her social media where it can be seen that she has a new challenge to overcome, which is losing weight.
Her plan is supported by her family, especially her husband, so it has only been three months since she posted her first photo that surprised people when they saw a happy, energetic, and slimmer Ira.
So when the New Year arrived, it was full of dreams that 2017 would be the year when her dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur would come true.
Like the famous Apple founder Steve Jobs, Aa started her business in their garage.
After cleaning up the small space, she decorated it and called it “Ira Soak Images” based on a saying close to Filipinos.
Aside from being a good mother and loving wife, Ira is also an excellent photographer.
Although she did not formally study Photography, her photos can compete with other photographers.
In November 2017, after registering her business and designing her garage properly, the strategic Ira used social media to spread the word that she was offering services such as Maternity and baby photoshoot.
At first, her clients were just former co-workers, relatives, family members, and friends, but as word spread in their area about how beautiful her photos were, Ira’s business took off.
After nearly three years of perseverance using the money she had saved, in 2021, she shared this short video.
People who knew about her struggles were happy because she was finally able to buy a place to turn into a studio in January 2022.
In this video, you can see the happy gathering of people supporting Ira at the grand opening of her business, and no one could be happier than her husband, who is so proud of his life achievemenTS. The success of the two is the reason why they take their only child to different places, and Aa also provides for his needs and often more.
If you look at their life on social media, you can say that they have achieved the so-called American dream.
But in 2022, several vehicles of authorities quickly responded to the Soak family home.
According to the news, Ira was found dead inside their home in Everett, Washington, at 3:00 am on August 19, 2022.
This news quickly spread on social media, and her family and clients remembered how kind Aa was, as a mother, sister, wife, and photographer.
Based on the autopsy report, the 36-year-old Aa died from a gunshot wound.
Her death was ruled a homicide, meaning she was murdered and the victim of a crime.
The news made headlines in various news outlets in the United States and even in the Philippines.
Ira’s sad fate also reached out as authorities investigated the incident.
People who knew the victim gathered in Mill Creek where her studio is located.
People’s emotions flooded over what happened to Ira.
Her husband also couldn’t help but cry, get angry, and ask why they were the victims of the crime because they didn’t hit anyone else.
“I would never find someone like this.
My, my, how to find justice for my wife? She didn’t deserve it.
I love my wife, love my life, my best friend, my son.
We’re good people, us.” At the end of that vigil, the victim’s friend Sarah Melle said in an interview that they would work together to support Ira’s bereaved family, and they can also be sure that they will not stop until justice is achieved.
For days, people couldn’t understand who could have done something bad to him because if you ask those who knew Ara, they didn’t know anyone who had any grudge against him because he was really very kind.
Even the neighbors of the Soak family were also surprised by what happened because their area was very quiet.
A few days later, with an approved search warrant, authorities returned to Makara’s house to investigate inside and outside the house and collect evidence that they could use in the investigation.
Authorities also remained silent in providing any information or updates on the case so as not to compromise their investigation.
But two weeks ago, detectives appeared in the media to ask for the public’s help for the speedy resolution of the case.
While waiting for an update from detectives, Makara’s cousin created a GoFundMe to ask for financial help from the public.
Their goal is to help Ira’s family, especially her seven-year-old son.
The GoFundMe page has been flooded with people who have not hesitated to donate, not only money but also gifTS. You can see that everyone who knew Ira has testified to her kindness.
A month after the incident, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has once again addressed the media to share what really happened in the early hours of August 19.
They shared that according to Ira’s husband, the family was fast asleep when three men suddenly entered their home.
They were allegedly carrying guns.
Makara said he was tied up with a zip tie, but his wife Ara resisted, so one of the suspects shot him.
He was shot so he wouldn’t attract the attention of neighbors or call 911.
Detectives said that despite spending hundreds of hours interviewing neighbors and carefully reviewing CCTV footage, they still have no clues.
What is the motive of the suspects in Ira’s murder? This is why they are asking for the public’s help a second time so that they can quickly solve the case.
When people learned about what happened in the early hours of August 19, people who previously sympathized with Makara wrote about their suspicions.
Another person also agreed with this.
This person said that he had doubts about Ira’s husband and should be banned from leaving the country, but their suspicions about the victim’s husband disappeared.
This person who introduced himself disappeared and replied to the thread.
Ira’s brother, you could say he was just fixing things.
I carefully checked her profile and she is indeed the victim’s legitimate sibling.
In her post, she said that Ira is not only her sibling, but also seems to be her step-parent because the victim raised her.
Ira is also the reason why she wants to attend beauty school.
In her post, she said that she doesn’t know how to convince people that what happened was not a “hit” because of the ongoing investigation.
He said the only information he could provide was that the suspects’ motive was robbery.
He also clarified that the suspects stole not just one but many items belonging to his brother.
He also said that his brother fought back to prevent the suspects from taking the items belonging to his brother.
She ended her comment by saying that her husband, Makara, had nothing to do with what happened.
Aside from the theory that her husband might have had something to do with what happened, a Reddit user suggested that Ira may have been targeted because of her social media.
When I looked at the victim’s Instagram, I knew what she meant.
Ira always loves to share things about her life on social media from when she was a young girl, when she had a baby, her cupcake business, and especially when her photography business became successful.
If you look at her profile alone, you will see Aa’s luxurious lifestyle.
Apart from their travels to different places, she also often shares luxury bags that she owns or buys.
Some would say it’s just a show-off.
For Aa’s family, especially her Filipino relatives, sharing branded and luxury items is Ira’s way of reminding herself that she has reached a certain point in life.
Some people online have suggested that her former cupcake business could be the reason why the suspects learned the address of that house, according to that theory.
It was not said that Ira used her address as a pickup point for people ordering cupcakes from her.
But whatever their guesses on what happened, that thread has been stalled due to the lack of updates from authorities.
Neither her husband nor Marcela or Soak’s family have agreed to an interview because they want to grieve privately and cooperate directly with authorities, so no one knows where and when the victim was buried.
But on the first anniversary of Ira’s death, a few of her friends recalled what happened here at the Water Lantern Festival.
The year 2023 came and went, still no update on the case.
When the New Year 2024 arrived, like everyone else, Makara was positive that authorities would catch the culpriTS. And in August 2024, almost two years since Ira’s death, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office announced that they had caught the culpriTS.
The FBI shared that thanks to the cooperation of civilian police and federal units, they were able to capture suspects Kevin Fizzle and Chris Johnson.
They were charged with various charges including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, first-degree theft of a firearm, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The head of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is also part of the first-ever look at what really happened before Ira’s death.
According to the police chief, the entire Soak family was asleep when the three suspects suddenly entered their home.
They headed straight to the second floor where the Master’s bedroom is located.
One of the suspects kicked the door hard, waking the couple, but before Makara could think of anything to do, he immediately pointed a gun at them.
His hands were tied with a zip tie, but Noy was sleeping next to him.
Their seven-year-old son tried to fight back, so the suspect didn’t hesitate and shot him.
After killing the child, the suspects ransacked every cabinet in the Soak family home.
The police chief said the suspects took several luxury items worth thousands of dollars.
The suspects are in FBI custody because they are also charged with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization, or RICO, according to the FBI.
They are part of a large group responsible for various crimes that have occurred in Snohomish and Skagit Counties in Washington.
What they often do is enter the homes of victims between 2:00 and 5:00 in the morning.
They wear masks and sometimes even pretend to be police officers, then punch them with a gun.
They use zip ties, and if there is no obstacle in their robbery, they steal everything they can get their hands on.
But what is surprising in what the FBI said is that the usual victims of the group of suspects are Asians.
When asked why they only target Asians, it is because they are vulnerable and usually do not report to the authorities.
In the search until August 2022, it was confirmed that they have entered seven homes and could be punished with life imprisonment.
If you heard this video until the end, thank you very much for watching this episode.
Please leave a comment or like this video, and if you have a case that you would like me to cover, please let me know.
Good morning, Countrymen.
