Twenty Days After Sutrimo's Death and the Missing Trail

Experts who carried out the exhumation and autopsy of the body of Sutrimo—the house guard or household manager of former Jampidsus Febrie Adriansyah—admit that the identification process did not go easily. The grave was opened for investigation purposes 20 days after the funeral. Moreover, evidence such as clothing is still not clearly accounted for.

The Chairperson of the Central Board of the Indonesian Forensic and Medicolegal Doctors Association (PDFMI), Brigadier General Pol Dr dr Sumy Hastry Purwanti, DFM, SpFM, said the autopsy of Sutrimo’s body was difficult. The body’s advanced state of decomposition made it hard for forensic doctors to determine the cause of death.

Hastry said all of Sutrimo’s internal organs had already decomposed. Nevertheless, she confirmed that a number of targeted organs and tissues were examined in detail. The forensic team, consisting of experts from various universities, examined the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, stomach, and respiratory tract.

Samples of body fluids and tissues were then taken for laboratory examination. The experts will conduct toxicology tests to look for possible poisons or hazardous substances.

In addition, they are carrying out histopathology examinations to observe the condition of cells and body tissues to determine possible disease or damage before death. In total, 15 groups of samples were taken, including eye fluid, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach contents, bile, intestines, nails, hair roots, bones, and soil samples.

“If someone drank poison or accidentally drank poison, it is usually clear—sometimes burnt or red. But because the body was already decomposed, the colour was all pale, so we cannot tell what the colour was. So we will still examine it in the lab,” Hastry explained during a conversation with detikX.

Soil samples from around the grave were also taken because they can serve as a comparison in toxicology testing. According to Hastry, certain substances can leave the body during decomposition and then end up in the soil around the body. For that reason, the soil around the body is also examined and compared with soil farther away from the body.

“If the type of poison is arsenic, it can usually still be found. Found in the surrounding soil,” she said.

Examination of the soil around the grave is considered quite effective in helping to find traces of poison even though the body has been buried for some time. Hastry admitted she has handled cases in which the type of poison was found in the soil around the body. Nevertheless, she acknowledged that the whole process will still not be easy because Sutrimo’s body had been buried for more than two weeks.

“Abroad, it is usually still possible to detect poison from hair or other body parts. But it turns out that in various literature or references, once there is advanced decomposition, it is difficult. But we are still pursuing it in the bones. Hopefully it will be found optimally, and there will be some ease,” she explained.

Meanwhile, in the external examination, the team found no signs of violence on Sutrimo’s body. No bone fractures were found, including in the head, neck, spine, chest, hands, or feet.

The forensic team did find an amputation scar on the big toe related to Sutrimo’s diabetes. However, according to Hastry, the wound had already closed and was not a new injury that could explain the cause of death.

“From the head, we have shown there are no signs of violence, no skull fracture, but the brain had already been destroyed, somewhat mushy. Then, from the neck, there are also no signs of violence. There were claims that there might be something, but there is not. It is completely clean,” she said.

Possibility of Asphyxia

Although it is not yet certain, Hastry said there were signs that she believes point to asphyxia, or death from lack of oxygen. The assessment is based on photographs of Sutrimo’s body when it was first found and witness testimony at the scene regarding the position of his body when it was discovered.

Hastry said that in the photographs, the trousers Sutrimo was wearing appeared wet. According to her, signs of asphyxia can include the release of foam, urine, faeces, and a bluish discolouration in certain parts of the body. Hastry said asphyxia can occur in various conditions. The cause can be related to illness or poison.

“If it is natural, it is usually because of illness. If it is poison, that is also possible,” said the woman who now serves as Karodokpol at the Police Medical and Health Centre.

However, that explanation is still a hypothesis based on early photographs of the body’s condition. So far, Hastry has not officially stated that asphyxia was the cause of Sutrimo’s death.

To improve the chances of a successful examination, Hastry said, testing of the body samples is not being carried out in only one place. The samples have been divided and are being examined at three different laboratories. However, because of the condition of the body, Hastry estimates that the forensic examination results will only come out in about two weeks or even longer.

The exhumation was previously carried out on 12 August. The process was conducted directly at the grave site and lasted almost four hours at Bantaragung Public Cemetery, Wlahar Village, Wangon District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java. The long duration was due to difficulties encountered. The forensic experts involved came from a number of institutions, including the University of Indonesia, Airlangga University, Gadjah Mada University, Diponegoro University, the National Police Hospital, and other forensic teams.

The Disappearance of Sutrimo’s Personal Belongings

Amid the wait for the forensic examination results, Sutrimo’s family is still waiting for the return of a number of Sutrimo’s personal belongings. When the body was taken to his hometown, those who delivered it only handed over Sutrimo’s ID card and his stiff body. Personal belongings such as clothing, mobile phone, wallet, and so on were not handed over.

Aan Rohaeni, the family’s legal representative, said one of the people who delivered the body left a telephone number with the family. He is said to be named Ahmad Machmud. He was the one who handed over Rp 20 million to Sutrimo’s family and gave them the number.