American citizen found dead at shopping center

American citizen found dead at shopping center

JAKARTA (JP): An elderly American was found dead yesterday
morning, with his neck strangled by his own trousers, hanging
from an iron gate in an alley of the famous Blok M shopping
center in South Jakarta.

Police identified the man as Malthec Langheck, 50, a German-
born American citizen residing on Jl. Sibayak Kav. G/118 in
Cinere, South Jakarta.

He was an executive of the Yayasan Bina Lalu Lintas dan
Angkutan, a foundation dealing with traffic and transport
businesses, located on Jl. Pulo Raya IV/8 in Kebayoran Baru.

However, other police sources said the American was Machtel
Hans Erich, 70.

The dead body was found hanging from the gate surrounding a
high-voltage electricity box in the alley between Aldiron Palza
and PD Pasar Jaya building by six security guards at around 5:45
a.m. when the area was still quiet.

According to local police officers, one of the six guards,
identified as Fajari Mukarim, was the one who first saw the
American walking up and down the alley at around 3:00 a.m.

At around 5:30 a.m., Makarim said that he saw the American
again but this time trying to hang himself. Makarim then rushed
to find his five other colleagues to inform about what he had
just seen.

About 15 minutes later, they arrived on the scene only to find
the American dead.

"I don't know why the security guard was not suspicious of the
foreigner walking to and fro in such a place. He should have
informed a nearby police station sooner," Second Sergeant Tanto
WP, told The Jakarta Post at the scene of crime.

Tanto said that there were at least two deep wounds in his
chest, one in the back of his head, two slits in his left arm and
another serious one in his wrist.

Another senior detective at the South Jakarta police precinct
told the Post that the American could have died even without
having to strangle himself.

Although forensic scientists are still working on the items
found at the scene, police officers -- based on witnesses and
evidence available -- strongly believe that the American has
committed suicide due to mental pressure.

Local police said that the alley, about five meters in width
and 100 meters long, was quiet in late evenings and early
mornings.

The neck of the victim was strangled by one part of his light-
blue trousers while the other part was fastened to the iron gate.
Broken plastic ropes were also found around his neck.

His body was only covered with his white underwear and a
shirt, of the same color of his trousers.

At the scene of crime, the police forensic experts found blood
stains, a wooden box, broken plastic ropes, broken bottles and
pieces of mirrors, all of which were partly covered with blood
spots.

Blood stains were also found on the nearby wall, the ground
and bars of the iron gate.

The box was found under the American's hanging body,
concluding that he used the box to support his body before
kicking it away to strangle himself.

His girlfriend, identified as Endang, told the police during
questioning that the foreigner had tried to kill himself several
times in the last 14 years.

At the victim's body, police also found a prescription from
the Dharmawangsa Sanatorium, said Tanto.(bsr)