How the suspected murderer in Depok deceived the victim's family
Jakarta — The Metro Jaya Regional Police have disclosed how the suspect, identified as ARH (44), who allegedly murdered his unregistered wife, identified as DH (55), in Depok, employed several methods to deceive the victim’s family. Her mummified remains were discovered in Depok.
The Director of General Criminal Investigation at Metro Jaya Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Iman Imanuddin, explained that the perpetrator scattered coffee powder around the location where the victim was placed.
“The coffee found at the crime scene was indeed scattered by the suspect to deceive or to mask the odour caused by the decomposition of the corpse,” he stated during a press briefing in Jakarta on Thursday.
Imanuddin noted that the suspect acquired this knowledge whilst socialising with associates at a fish market or fish auction facility.
Regarding why the victim’s family harboured no suspicion about the victim’s prolonged absence from the residence, Imanuddin explained that the suspect had taken control of the victim’s mobile phone.
“The victim’s mobile phone was controlled by the suspect, and the suspect communicated with people connected to the victim as if he were the victim, so the victim’s close relatives did not feel suspicious,” he said.
“Before the murder occurred, the suspect had requested conjugal relations with the victim, but was rejected, causing the suspect’s emotions to overflow and he committed the murder in an uncontrolled manner,” he stated.
Earlier, Metro Jaya Regional Police disclosed the chronology of the murder in Depok, West Java, which occurred on Saturday (7 March), with the victim’s body discovered in a desiccated condition.
Deputy Director of Mobile Criminal Investigation at the General Criminal Investigation Directorate, Senior Commissioner Resa Fiardi Marasabessy, explained that the incident began on 31 December 2024, when the suspect, identified as ARH (44), entered into an unregistered marriage with the victim, identified as DH (55), and they resided in Primavera Housing Complex, Kelapanunggal, until April 2025.
“Subsequently, in mid-October 2025, the victim and suspect quarrelled, with the victim screaming and expelling the suspect,” said Resa.
At that point, the suspect immediately covered the victim’s mouth with his right hand, but the victim resisted by scratching the suspect.
“The suspect then immediately seized a rope and tied the victim’s neck with the rope. Subsequently, the suspect waited for approximately one hour whilst observing the victim’s condition,” said Resa.