Suspected killer gets death penalty

SURABAYA: A court here meted out a death penalty for Aris Setiawan, 30, after finding him guilty of the premeditated murder of a mother and her two daughters last April.

Judge Achmad Husein said Aris, a construction worker, had been proven beyond reasonable doubt to have beaten to death Tong Lee Tjen, 27, Indriani Wono, four, and one-and-a-half-year-old Ling Ling, wife and daughters of banker Budi Wono. The murder took place in the victims' house in Darmo Indah housing complex on April 7.

Aris displayed no remorse when the verdict was read out. He did not say whether he would appeal.

The prosecutor demanded the death penalty.

"I prayed to Allah before making the decision. The defendant deserves the punishment," Husein said. (nur)