Chronology, Motive and Other Facts in Badung Case of Man Slashed and Wrapped in a Sack
The murder of DAD (25), at the Mae Wash motorcycle wash in Banjar Cabe, Darmasaba, Abiansemal, Badung, Bali, has been disclosed. The man from Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), died after being set up, beaten, slashed, and buried in a sack in a vacant plot by four perpetrators.
Badung Police say the murder was premeditated. After confirming the victim had died, the attackers erased traces, constructed alibis, and fled to Jember, East Java.
Quote from Badung Police Chief AKBP Joseph Edward Purba: “The perpetrators admitted they planned to commit murder against the victim and to take his valuable belongings to sell. The planned proceeds would be divided equally among them.”
Trap and Attack
The murder occurred on Thursday (7 May 2026) in the early hours at the Mae Wash motorcycle wash, where the victim and the main suspect, DF (20), were employed.
Before the incident, DF and MKH (24), AFP (17), and IPR (16) went to the location. DF took a foam-cutting knife from the workplace and tucked it into his belt.
Around 01:15 WITA, the victim arrived by motorcycle. After entering the washing area, the victim turned off CCTV and moved toward the compressor.
“The execution location was at the motorcycle wash where the victim worked,” said AKBP Joseph Edward Purba.
Unaware they had become targets, the victim bent down. At that moment, the four perpetrators immediately closed in.
“When the victim bent to reach the compressor, the perpetrators struck his head with an empty bottle until he fell. The attackers then beat and kicked him together, and even struck him with an iron chair,” asserted AKP Azarul Ahmad.
The victim was struck with broken glass from a bottle, hit with an iron chair, and attacked until he collapsed. As he weakened, the attackers stabbed the victim in the back with a knife. Fatal injuries occurred when DF repeatedly slashed the victim’s throat until he died on the spot.
Body Wrapped in a Sack
After the murder, the attackers cleaned the blood from the floor to erase traces. They then sought a vacant plot near a paddy field on Jalan Antasura, Banjar Cabe, Darmasaba.
The victim’s body was placed inside a plastic sack, transported by motorcycle, and buried together using a garden hoe belonging to the car wash.
“Yes, yes. This was done immediately after the incident in the early hours, around 02:40 on the date 7,” concluded AKP Azarul Ahmad.
After the burial, DF sent a WhatsApp message to the owner of the car wash and abruptly resigned, claiming he needed to return to his hometown.
“After the execution, in the morning one of the perpetrators, identified as DF, resigned and told the owner he wanted to go home to his hometown, via WhatsApp, saying he had matters there,” Azarul Ahmad said.
DF then fled with the other three perpetrators to Jember, East Java.
The Badung Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) continued its inquiry and arrested four offenders in two locations in Jember. DF initially resisted and attempted to run during the investigation and was shot in the leg by police.
“The person concerned tried to flee. He resisted officers. The offender who was subdued is identified as DF,” Azarul Ahmad asserted.
The case became known after residents found a body decomposing on Tuesday (12 May 2026) afternoon. Residents initially smelled a foul odour before spotting a mound of earth with the victim’s knee slightly visible.
Motives: Revenge and Desire to Control the Victim’s Belongings
Police said the murder was allegedly triggered by revenge by the main perpetrator, DF.
DF reportedly was often taunted by the victim while working together at Mae Wash.
“While working side-by-side at Mae Wash, the main perpetrator was frequently bullied with phrases that were not pleasant, including remarks about his ethnicity. That long-standing resentment is one of the motives for the murder,” AKP Azarul Ahmad said.
In addition to hurt feelings, the perpetrators were also suspected of wanting to control the victim’s valuable possessions.
After killing DAD, the perpetrators sold the victim’s motorcycle for Rp 1.8 million. The victim’s phone was taken by DF.
New Fact: The Victim Had Come to Steal
In another development, police disclosed that DAD had come to the scene with the intention to steal the compressor machine at the car wash where he worked.
Kasatreskrim (Head of Criminal Investigation) AKP Azarul Ahmad said the plan began when the victim contacted DF via WhatsApp and invited him to steal.
“From our investigations, the victim that night had already planned to steal at the car wash. He invited one of the suspects and proposed that they work together to steal the compressor machine,” said Ahmad.
The plan was discussed starting on Wednesday, 6 May 2026. The victim even urged that the action take place that night.
“Around 23:00 WITA, the main suspect (DF) went to meet his friends in the Kuta area. When he was there, the victim contacted him again via WhatsApp and said he wanted to take the compressor then,” Ahmad said.
However, the invitation became a turning point. DF showed the victim’s message to the other three and coordinated the murder.
“The perpetrators then showed the message to the other suspects and invited them to execute the victim. The aim was to seize the victim’s valuables such as money, a motorcycle, and a mobile phone,” Ahmad explained.
Unaware he had fallen into a trap, the victim came to the car wash, switched off the CCTV, and bent down to remove the compressor. It was at that moment that the perpetrators immediately executed the victim.