Transvestite found dead in his house

JAKARTA (JP): A transvestite was found dead in his house in Ciputat, Tangerang, south of here, on Tuesday morning, Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said.

The victim was identified as Rusdi, alias Yuli, 56, he said.

Rusdi's body was found by Devi Sutisna, who helped Rusdi run the beauty parlor he owned, Zainuri said.

According to Devi's statement to the police, when nobody answered the door at Rusdi's house at 6:30 a.m., she opened the unlocked front door and found Rusdi's naked body lying facedown.

Devi then reported the crime to the local police.

"There were no other injuries, except those on his head," Zainuri said, adding that the severe wounds were believed to have been caused by a blunt object.

Police suspect the murder was committed by people close to the victim, and occurred for reasons other than robbery because no valuables were reported missing.

Rusdi's body was sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta for a postmortem examination. (emf)