Second mutilated female body found

JAKARTA (JP): While the identity of a dismembered female body found last Sunday in Tangerang remains a mystery, the city was rocked again yesterday by the finding of another mutilated female body in East Jakarta.

The first victim was cut into 12 parts with her torso still missing; this second victim was found with no head, neck, right arm, left hand, right lower leg and left foot.

Similar to the Tangerang case, this woman's body was found floating in a fishpond in Pondok Ranggon subdistrict, Cipayung. It had not been identified by last night.

"Judging from the incisions, it looks like the body was dismembered with a blunt knife. I think the case is different from the Tangerang case," forensic expert Budi Sampurna of Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital told reporters.

According to Budi, the butcher of the body found near Cisauk railroad station in Serpong, Tangerang, used a sharp saw.

The headless female body was found at 5:30 a.m. yesterday by two women on their way to a washroom near the pond.

"The two (Nurfatikah, 22 and Royati, 20) were stunned when they saw a body floating on the edge of the pond," the head of the East Jakarta Detective Unit, Maj. Alex Mandalika, said.

The incident woke the neighbors after both women called out to the pond's owner, Salim, 50. He later reported the finding to Ciracas Police.

"The killer obviously tried to erase her identity as all parts that might be used to clarify it, such as fingerprints and face, have been cut off," Alex said.

About half a kilometer from the scene police found blood traces on the wall inside a dimly lit drinking stall, which also illegally runs prostitution activities, he said.

"Police dogs scoured nearby areas and inside the kiosk we found bloodstains.

We're still studying the type of the blood to find out whether it belongs to the victim," Alex said.

According to preliminary police inquiries and witnesses' information, the killer dumped the body at about 3 a.m., the officer said.

Based on the condition of the body when found, the police believe the killer cleaned the remains before disposing of it in the pond.

The pond has also been combed by the police but nothing was found related to the body.

Budi estimated the woman was between 18 and 30 years old, about 1.50 meters tall and 40 kilograms in weight. Her blood type was AB and there was an appendix operation scar on her lower abdomen.

"She was killed between 12 and 24 hours before being dumped," the forensic expert said.

According to Budi, his forensic team has yet to confirm the cause of death since the remaining parts of the body have not been found.

Local police have questioned at least four people regarding the incident.

"There is a possibility that these kind of mutilated-body cases will continue as a new crime trend here," East Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba said.

The 12-piece female body in Tangerang is expected to be buried today, the head of the Tangerang detective unit, Capt. Krisnandi, said. (edt/jun/41)