Remains of U.S. woman unearthed

Remains of U.S. woman unearthed

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): An American woman whose remains were unearthed on Friday in Malaysia is believed to have been the victim of a ritual murder carried out to obtain lottery numbers, police say.

Police quoted by Sunday newspapers said the remains were believed to be those of Carolyn Jamica Noraini Abdullah, 35. The mother of three, who was married to a local doctor, went missing in November 1999.

Reports said her husband had identified some clothing found in the shallow grave in an oil palm plantation at Sungai Siput in the northwestern state of Perak.

Zuber Shariff, the state detective chief, said a 30-year-old suspect, who was arrested last Thursday following a tip-off, led police to the grave.

He said one other suspect was serving a six-year jail sentence for a firearms offense and police would interview him soon. The other suspect died in a road accident early this year.