A 41-year-old woman who had been reported missing for several days was found dead in the living room of her boyfriend’s house in Batu Pahat, Johor.
The victim’s 44-year-old boyfriend, who was also at the scene, claimed that he had committed the murder.
Police raided the house at around 1 AM on Friday (30 January) and found the suspect with injuries on his neck and hand, believed to be self-inflicted. According to a report by China Press, the victim died from asphyxiation and is believed to have been smothered to death with a pillow.
Initial investigations revealed that the murder took place on Tuesday (27 January), although the victim’s body was not discovered until Friday. The suspect was immediately arrested but was taken to hospital for treatment.
The Batu Pahat Magistrate’s Court granted police a seven-day remand extension for the male suspect, who is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. The remand application was conducted at the hospital, where the suspect remains under treatment.
Neighbours noticed nothing unusual
According to neighbours, everything appeared normal prior to the discovery of the victim’s body. Although they rarely interacted with the victim and the suspect, they said they did not notice anything out of the ordinary.
A security guard at the residential area revealed that the suspect drove out on Thursday afternoon (29 January) and did not return until around 4 PM. The guard added that the suspect usually rode a motorcycle.
However, when the suspect returned in a car on Thursday evening, the guard was unable to determine whether he was alone, as residents use access cards to enter the premises.
Couple had broken up three months ago
According to the victim’s employer, the victim, who worked as a hairdresser, had been employed there for more than two years. To his knowledge, she had ended her relationship with the suspect, who was unemployed, about three months earlier.
“She was hardworking and rarely took leave,” the employer said.
The employer added that the victim had suddenly informed him on Tuesday that she was going on a trip for an urgent matter and might not return anytime soon. Attempts to contact her via WhatsApp were unsuccessful. Two days later, he received a message from the victim’s phone number stating that she was abroad and would explain the situation when she had the chance.
Feeling uneasy, the employer alerted the victim’s family, who subsequently lodged a police report. He later visited the victim’s house with several colleagues, but no one answered the door.
Also read: 53yo Found Dead in KL Hotel Room After Leaving Note for Family, PDRM Investigating
