The serene shores of Double Six beach were shattered by a horrific crime following the discovery of the lifeless body of Astuti (38). Police say she was brutally murdered by her acquaintance, Marianus Garu (28), known by his alias Bryan.
The ghastly scene unfolded on Saturday, witnessed by concerned locals who stumbled upon Astuti’s blood-soaked corpse. Denpasar Police Chief Bambang Yugo Pamungkas shed light on the investigation, revealing that crucial information about a heated argument between the victim and a man led authorities to apprehend Bryan.
“Based on vital leads, our dedicated team swiftly tracked down Bryan, ultimately apprehending him at a nearby store, approximately 200 meters from the crime scene, around 1pm,” shared Bambang during a press conference yesterday.
Bryan confessed to the heinous act, admitting to wielding a machete and striking Astuti in the head, left side of the neck, back, right knee, and inflicting wounds on both hands.
“Despite the suspect’s attempt to seek medical assistance for the victim’s injuries, she tragically succumbed to her wounds at the scene,” Bambang added.
The motive behind this appalling crime stemmed from Bryan’s deep-seated anger, exacerbated by hurtful derogatory remarks hurled at him by the victim. Astuti had allegedly referred to Bryan as gay and effeminate, fueling his outrage.
“The suspect’s simmering rage reached a boiling point as he found himself unable to tolerate the victim’s cruel taunts, which included disparaging statements such as ‘you’re gay, your anus is so loose, your genitals have been cut off to make you effeminate’,” said Bambang.
Furthermore, investigations revealed that the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the brutal assault.
“The suspect committed this act while inebriated, having consumed beer,” Bambang added.
During interrogations, it was discovered that Bryan harbored feelings of affection towards the victim, though he had never expressed them. Their connection was relatively new, as they had only known each other for about a week and maintained a casual friendship. However, their living arrangements were separate, occupying different rooms within the same premises.
Bryan now faces charges under Article 338 of the Indonesian Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, pending further legal proceedings.
