Police Name Seven Suspects in Murder of AMA Pilot in Yahukimo, All Remain at Large

The Cartenz-2026 Peace Operation Task Force has named seven individuals as suspects in the murder of an American pilot and the burning of a plane in Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan. The victim, Captain Nicholas F. Goselin, was a pilot for PT Associated Mission Aviation (AMA), and the aircraft destroyed was a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter with registration PK-RCY.

Head of the Cartenz-2026 Peace Operation Law Enforcement Task Force, Senior Commissioner I Gusti Gde Era Adhinata, stated that the suspects were identified based on investigation results, witness statements, evidence, crime scene processing, and case review. The seven suspects, identified by the initials MB, AB (23), LS (26), DA, NS, KB, and SP, have all been placed on the wanted list and are currently being pursued by the task force.

Era explained that the suspects allegedly acted together to murder the pilot and set fire to the civilian aircraft, endangering flight safety. They are charged under Article 459 in conjunction with Article 20 of the Criminal Code, subsidiary to Article 458 in conjunction with Article 20, and/or Article 586 in conjunction with Article 20, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Investigations estimate the group involved consisted of around 15 people, armed with long-barrelled firearms, handguns, and homemade weapons. Authorities are continuing to probe the group’s network, movement patterns, and sources of weaponry.

Head of Public Relations for the Cartenz-2026 Peace Operation, Senior Commissioner Yusuf Sutejo, said investigators processed the crime scene on Saturday, 4 July, following a police report concerning the alleged murder and acts endangering aviation safety. The investigative team secured the location, documented the scene, took measurements, placed police lines, assessed the extent of damage to the aircraft, and collected evidence.

Crime scene findings indicated that the Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter aircraft suffered approximately 90 percent fire damage, with the most severe destruction concentrated in the middle section of the fuselage. Evidence secured from the scene included the wreckage of the aircraft, fire debris, fragments of the fuselage, a 5.56 mm calibre bullet casing, and soil samples for forensic laboratory examination.