Young Mother Strangled and Burned in River After Ex-Boyfriend Refused to Buy iPhone in Muara Enim

Mystery surrounding the discovery of a woman’s badly injured body in the Enim 3 river stream, Karang Raja Village, Muara Enim District, South Sumatra, has been solved. Police have arrested the victim’s ex-boyfriend, suspected of the brutal murder. The suspect, identified as M. Ari Pratama (33), was apprehended by the Muara Enim Police Criminal Investigation Unit within 24 hours of the body being found by locals on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. The victim, identified as Ayu Puspita Sari (23), a housewife from Dusun II, Parjito Village, Gunung Megang District, had been reported missing by her family for four days. Muara Enim Police Chief Hendri Syaputra stated that the case was solved swiftly by a joint team from the Muara Enim Police Criminal Investigation Unit. “Thanks to the hard work and vigilance of our officers, particularly the Rajawali Team, this case was solved in under 24 hours. It is a heinous crime where the suspect not only took the victim’s life but also attempted to cover up by burning the body before dumping it in the river,” said Police Chief Hendri Syaputra on Friday, 29 May 2026. Preliminary investigations revealed the murder was triggered by an argument between the suspect and victim at a guesthouse on Sunday, 24 May 2026. Muara Enim Police Criminal Investigation Unit Chief Muhamad Andrian explained that the victim had requested the suspect to buy her an iPhone, which he refused, leading to a quarrel. “Based on the investigation, the suspect’s motive was purely emotional. The suspect and victim initially rented a room at a guesthouse on Sunday, 24 May 2026. The victim asked for an iPhone, but the suspect refused, citing that she was still married to someone else and not yet divorced. This refusal led to an argument that escalated into violence,” said Deputy Commissioner Andrian. In a fit of rage, the suspect allegedly strangled the victim to death on the guesthouse bed. After confirming her death, he left the scene taking her mobile phone. He returned to the guesthouse the next day at around 3:00 AM to destroy evidence.