Key Witness in Saepul Mutilation Case Fled After Smelling Blood
Police have disclosed new facts regarding suspect Saepul (26), who murdered and mutilated a man identified as K (51) in a rented house in the Cipayung area of Depok. The suspect’s housemate reportedly became frightened after smelling blood.
“His friend, with the initial J, is a friend of the perpetrator. We believe the perpetrator may have had a disorientation, a sexual disorientation, with this friend of his,” said Unit 1 Head of the Sub-Directorate of Violent Crimes at Polda Metro Jaya, Kompol Dimitri Mahendra Kartika, to reporters in Cipayung Jaya, Depok, on Tuesday (11/8/2026).
Kompol Dimitri stressed that Saepul carried out the murder entirely alone. Police stated that J was not involved in the killing. “However, regarding the murder incident reported by the victim’s family, this was purely carried out by the perpetrator himself,” he revealed.
Dimitri explained that J had become suspicious upon noticing a floor-cleaning tool at the rented house. J also smelled blood, prompting him to leave the location. “His friend had already become frightened after discovering traces of blood when he arrived, thinking, ‘Why is there a mop here?’ Then, when he stepped on it, it smelled like blood, so he immediately went home and never returned,” he clarified.
He stated that J was not involved in the murder. “So we confirm here that his friend was not involved. The act was purely committed by one person, with the initial S,” he said.
For his heinous actions, Saepul is charged under Article 458 paragraph (2) and/or Article 459 and/or Article 469 paragraph (2) and/or Article 479 paragraph (3) of the Criminal Code.
The murder and mutilation occurred at Saepul’s rented house in the Cipayung area of Depok on 23 July 2026. The victim was left in a critical condition before eventually being mutilated. The victim’s body was then placed into a sack and dumped on vacant land in the Depok area on 24 July 2026. Local residents initially did not suspect the sack contained human remains, until Tuesday (4/8), when a resident took the initiative to burn the sack, believing it to be a pile of rubbish.