On April 15, 2022, Jhannah Villegas was attacked at her home in Datu Anggal Midtimbang town by three unknown armed men who shot her at close range. She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. According to her husband, Villegas had received a dead threat days prior to her murder.

Villegas worked as a reporter for community newspaper Sagad and Bugso as well as a “block timer” broadcaster for Radyo Ukay in Kidapawan city, North Cotabato province and Energy FM 106.7 radio in Manila. A block timer is an independent journalist or broadcast producer who buys airtime to air programs on radio or television.