Police name four suspects in Banyumas premeditated murder case
Purwokerto (ANTARA) - Banyumas City Police have named four suspects in the premeditated murder of Ebi Mulyono Subagio (67), a resident of Arcawinangun, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, with motives involving romance and the seizure of the victim’s property.
Banyumas Police Chief, Commissioner Petrus P. Silalahi, stated during a press conference at the Banyumas Police Headquarters in Purwokerto on Thursday, that the four suspects are identified by the initials IE (61), the victim’s legal wife; AM alias BP (51); JN alias A (42); and RS (28).
“The motive for this premeditated murder was both romantic interest and the desire to control the victim’s assets,” he emphasised.
He stated that the case began following a report received by the police on 27 June 2026, regarding the discovery of the victim’s body at his residence on Jalan Masjid Baru, Arcawinangun, East Purwokerto.
Based on investigation results, the murder had been planned since January 2026 by IE and AM, with repeated planning sessions leading up to the execution on 26 June 2026.
The romantic relationship between IE and AM began in August 2025 through TikTok and WhatsApp without the pair ever meeting in person. During their communications, IE frequently complained about the victim’s treatment and issues regarding the control of land certificates and vehicle ownership documents that had been handed over to the victim’s child.
Various attempts were planned by suspects IE and AM to eliminate the victim, ranging from black magic (santet) and poison to sedative injections; however, all these plans failed, leading the perpetrators to ultimately resort to violence.
“The black magic failed, the injections were not carried out, and the poison was not used, so they eventually used violence,” he explained.
On the night of the incident, IE prepared a wooden block, electrical cables, and a hammer inside the house and opened the door for the executors. The suspect AM then struck the victim repeatedly with a wooden block, while JN wrapped electrical cables around the victim’s neck and pulled together until the victim passed away.
Meanwhile, RS played a role by driving a rental car used to transport the perpetrators and was aware of the murder plot but failed to report it to the authorities.
Following the murder, IE handed over a motorcycle to AM as a promised reward. The vehicle was subsequently pawned in Banten to cover the car rental costs and other expenses.
IE even attempted to cover her tracks by informing residents that the victim’s motorcycle had been stolen and by contacting the 110 emergency service to report an alleged vehicle theft.
However, suspicion arose after a local resident, who is also an ambulance driver, noticed the condition of the victim’s body, which appeared to have died from violence, and promptly reported it to the police.
Petrus stated that all suspects were successfully arrested within less than 48 hours, starting with the arrest of IE in Banyumas, followed by RS, JN, and AM in the Banten Province.
For their actions, IE, AM, and JN are charged under Article 459 subordinate to Article 458 in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code (KUHP) related to premeditated murder, carrying penalties of death, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in prison.
RS is charged under Article 459 subordinate to Article 458 Paragraph (1) and Paragraph (3) in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code, with penalties of death, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in prison, and/or Article 254 Paragraph (1) letter c of the same law, regarding complicity in premeditated murder and failure to report a planned crime, with a maximum of one year in prison.
During the briefing, the Police Chief expressed appreciation for the investigators’ work in quickly resolving the case and emphasised that the investigation will continue professionally until the case files are submitted to the public prosecutor.