Bali Police arrest male sex worker for allegedly murdering woman at hourly motel in Denpasar last week

Bagus Putu Wijaya, in orange jumpsuit, at the Denpasar Police on August 12. Photo: Polresta Denpasar / Facebook
Bagus Putu Wijaya, in orange jumpsuit, at the Denpasar Police on August 12. Photo: Polresta Denpasar / Facebook

Bali Police yesterday said they had arrested a man, who authorities have identified as a male sex worker named Bagus Putu Wijaya, for the murder of a woman at an hourly motel in Denpasar last week. 

“We found out that the suspect ran away to North Sulawesi and so a team was dispatched to pursue him and he was then arrested,” Police Chief Commissioner Ruddi Setiawan, who heads the Denpasar Police, said during a press conference yesterday. 

Ruddi added that Bagus is from Buleleng regency and is married to a woman from Manado, North Sulawesi. 

The victim, who police identified by her initials NPY, was found dead at Penginapan Teduh Ayu 2, an hourly motel in western Denpasar on August 5, hours after checking in with an unidentified man. The hotel staff reportedly found her lying on her stomach, with blood coming out of her mouth and the towel tied around it. 

As reported by Detik, Bagus and NPY became acquainted through social media. They initially set up a meeting because Bagus wanted to buy a car from NPY. 

“When they met, they started to talk a little more and the victim asked the suspect what he did for a living. The suspect admitted that he works as a male sex worker online. Afterwards, they went out for a meal and the victim said she wanted to sleep with the suspect and they agreed to stay the night at Penginapan Teduh [Ayu 2],” Ruddi said, as quoted by Detik. 

Authorities said that Bagus allegedly decided to murder NPY because he was offended after the woman complained while they were having intercourse. 

“He was offended and so he …  smothered her with a towel until she lost consciousness. She died not long after, and the suspect left the motel,” Ruddi explained. 

Bagus then left the hotel and allegedly proceeded to pawn NPY’s car for IDR 10 million (USD 698), which he allegedly used to buy clothes and a ticket to Manado. 

Under Indonesia’s criminal code, Bagus face a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.



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