Bogor man kills wife, himself in rage

BOGOR: A 55-year-old man apparently committed suicide Wednesday at dawn after allegedly murdering his own wife.

Isak, a resident of Tegal Kemang village in Parung district, Bogor, beat his wife, Mundarti, 50, to death with an iron bar, in their house, according to Mundarti's mother, Icih.

Icih, 75, said that at about 5 a.m. on Wednesday, she saw Mundarti with a large amount of blood on her head laying on the ground, while the victim's husband stood near the body. As Icih approached, Isak then ran away and plunged himself into an empty eight-meter deep well near the house.

The old woman cried for help and nearby residents soon arrived on the spot. They managed to get Isak out of the well, but he was already dead.

Icih said that her daughter had been married to Isak for 10 years and their marriage was rocky.

A neighbor said that the couple had lived a hard life, especially as Isak, who earned a living by repairing furniture, could not adequately provide for the family. --JP