Singaporean Man Murders Indonesian Woman in Bali After She Ends Relationship

A Singaporean man, identified by the initials MZ (25), has been arrested for the alleged murder of his Indonesian girlfriend, AS, in South Denpasar, Bali. According to Denpasar Police Deputy Chief AKBP I Ketut Widiarta, the victim is believed to have died on Friday, 10 July, around 4:00 a.m. local time following an argument with the suspect. The altercation was triggered by the victim’s request to end their relationship, which the suspect refused to accept, leading him to strangle her.

The victim’s body was discovered on Wednesday, 15 July, around 7:00 p.m. after her sibling, RAS, visited her boarding room due to being unable to contact her for nearly a week. Upon arrival, the sibling noticed a pungent odour emanating from the room. Upon entering, the sibling found the victim deceased, covered with a blanket and scattered soft toys. The sibling then encountered the suspect, who was still in the vicinity, but he immediately fled on a motorcycle before the incident was reported to residents and the police.

Following the report, the Denpasar Police Criminal Investigation Unit, assisted by the Bali Regional Police, processed the crime scene and launched a manhunt. The suspect was apprehended at approximately 11:45 p.m. the same night while travelling on the Ngurah Rai Bypass in South Denpasar. He was subsequently taken to Denpasar Police headquarters for questioning. Police revealed that the suspect had been in Indonesia for about a year on a tourist visa and had overstayed for roughly the same period. Preliminary investigations indicate the victim had previously forgiven the suspect for repeated infidelity, but her final request to end the relationship is believed to have triggered the murder. The suspect has been charged under Article 468(2) and/or Article 458(1) of Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment. The victim’s sibling expressed appreciation for the swift police response, noting the suspect was captured within three hours of the body being discovered.