Hendra may have known his killers, police say

TANGERANG (JP): Local police said yesterday that they believed the killers of businessman Hendra Rusmawan and his wife had properly plotted their actions.

However, this preliminary conclusion has not yet cast light on a motive for the gruesome murders, Tangerang police chief Lt. Col. Aryanto Boedihardjo told reporters.

Based on the available evidence, police have two theories.

They believe the couple may have been killed after discovering burglars in their house. The burglars murdered the two to prevent their identification at a later date. Alternatively, the couple could have been killed for personal reasons or through a vendetta, Boedihardjo said.

"But it is too early to conclude whether it was an opportunistic crime or motivated by personal conflict," he said.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were acquainted with their killers.

"There was no signs of a struggle at the gate or door into the house and there was no evidence that the perpetrators of the crime had forced their way to the house," he said.

Hendra, 47, a successful businessman who owned at least eight firms, and his wife Prastiwi, 42, were found dead last Friday with their hands bound together in the bedroom of their house in the Modernland housing estate, Tangerang.

The couple's decomposed bodies were found by Supadi, a driver for the couple, and some local residents.

The driver and neighbors became concerned after the couple had not been seen for a number of days. Supadi told the police during questioning that he and the local residents could smell a putrid odor coming from the house. After knocking and receiving no reply, the group decided to break into the house.

Supadi, Arianto, a second driver for the couple, and Farizal, Cipto and Wiro, all security officers on the estate, have been questioned by police. Police emphasized that the men were questioned as witnesses and were not suspects in the case.

Farizal told police that he had allowed the couple's red Peugeot sedan to pass through the main gate of the estate at around 2 a.m. Tuesday. He presumed that it was Hendra or his wife driving the car.

Boediharjo said that the murderers may have stolen a box of jewelry belonged to Prastiwi, in addition to the couple's car, which was found abandoned near Merak port last Tuesday.

"But it was still not clear. The couple's son said he had noticed the box in the house at an earlier date, but said there was a possibility that his mother might have removed the box from the house," he said.

Police have obtained fingerprints from the couple's car, which was recovered in good condition, and have also collected evidence from the scene of the crime.

Items of evidence amassed by the police include a pair of sandals, rubber hosing and a crowbar. Police also have a pair of black socks, white tracksuit trousers and a man's belt which are believed to belong to the criminals, Boedihardjo said.

Separately, forensic expert Zulhasmar Syamsu yesterday said that results of the postmortem examinations carried out on both bodies revealed that both victims had died at least three days before they were found.

Both victims had suffered severe head and bodily wounds inflicted by a crowbar and an ice breaker.

Police earlier reported that the female victim had been found partially naked.

Zulhasmar rejected allegations that she had been raped, but said that there was evidence that her attackers had interfered with her sexually before she died.

"I think the attackers may have sexually assaulted the woman before killing her," he said.

Zulhasmar said the husband had died before his wife. (41/emf/cst)