Police Arrest Suspect in Banyumas Double Murder Case

Banyumas Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of two women in Patikraja village, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, less than five hours after the incident was reported. Banyumas Police Chief Commissioner Petrus P Silalahi confirmed the suspect, identified by the initials A alias D (24), was apprehended in the neighbouring Banjarnegara Regency following an intensive investigation.

‘Shortly after the report was received, the team conducted an investigation and managed to secure the suspect, A alias D, in the Banjarnegara area,’ he stated. The operation involved the Banyumas Police Rapid Response Unit (URC) coordinating with Banjarnegara Police and the URC of the former Banyumas Residency, which covers Banyumas, Cilacap, Purbalingga, and Banjarnegara.

The case came to light on Friday, 12 June, around 7 a.m. local time, when residents became suspicious of the victims’ house, which was tightly shut but had its lights still on. Upon checking, they found two women dead in different locations within the house. The victims were identified as K (81), a pensioner, and A (18).

Initial forensic examination indicated that the younger victim, A, was found in a side room with multiple injuries, including a laceration on the chin, head wounds, and signs of violence to the neck. The older victim, K, was discovered deceased inside a well on the property, with her evacuation involving the Banyumas Regency Search and Rescue (SAR) team.

During the initial investigation, witnesses reportedly encountered the suspect, who is the grandson of the older victim, inside the house. However, when approached for questioning, he fled on a motorcycle, colliding with a local resident in the process. This information became a key lead in the pursuit that ended with his arrest in Banjarnegara. Investigators are currently working to establish the motive and exact chronology of the incident, gathering witness statements and awaiting forensic and autopsy results to determine the precise cause of death for both victims.