M'sian man, 71, allegedly kills & dismembers woman, in her 40s, after engagement called off

A personal relationship dispute involving jealousy and the return of engagement money, is believed to be the motive behind the killing of a woman, whose dismembered remains were discovered at multiple rubbish disposal sites near Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Police have detained two men, believed to be a father-and-son pair, in connection with the case as investigations continue.

Engagement money dispute and jealousy among suspected triggers

Authorities believe the killing may have been driven by a personal conflict involving jealousy and demands for the return of engagement money, after the engagement between the suspect and the victim was believed to have broken off.

The suspect, a 71-year-old man, allegedly demanded the money back after discovering that the victim, who was in her 40s, was reportedly already married to another individual, which may have led to an argument before the incident occurred, according to Harian Metro.

According to China Press, the 71-year-old was engaged to the woman.

The Kota Kinabalu District Police Chief said the confession was obtained from the suspect during an initial interrogation.

He added, in a media statement: “This situation is believed to have triggered an argument between the suspect and the victim, which ultimately led to the incident.”

He added that the main suspect also admitted involvement during initial questioning.

Main suspects allegedly victim’s fiancé and his son

The elderly suspect was arrested at 5pm on Feb. 12, before police detained a second male suspect in his 20s, believed to be his son, later at 11pm at a house in Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu as reported by Bernama.

The arrest was made within 24 hours of the initial discovery of the victim’s body parts by a garbage truck worker at about 6:30am on Thursday (Feb. 12).

It is understood that the suspect was identified based on leads obtained from the victim’s body, following the discovery of her head and torso during search operations, reported Berita Harian Malaysia.

These clues enabled police to track down the suspect’s location before successfully arresting him.

Police also seized several items during the operation, including mobile phones, clothing believed to have been worn during the incident, as well as a gold-coloured Nissan X-Trail vehicle for forensic purposes.

The main suspect is currently placed at the Emergency Unit of Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, as cited by Harian Metro, where he is said to be undergoing further examination, before remand procedures can be carried out.

Body parts found in several locations

The case came to light after cleaning workers and refuse collectors reportedly discovered human body parts at a rubbish disposal area in Kota Kinabalu early Thursday morning (Feb. 12).

Initial findings included limbs found near a car park beside a supermarket at around 6:30am, with further searches later leading to the discovery of the victim’s head and torso at about 11:40am in a nearby area.

Local reports indicated the woman’s body may have been dismembered into as many as seven parts, with search efforts continuing for missing remains as of midday Thursday.

Both suspects are currently being held under Section 302 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, which covers murder.

While police indicated the arrests have helped resolve the immediate case, authorities stressed that investigations remain ongoing as they complete the investigation papers.

Top images via orgsabahan.ca/Facebook, telus_malaysia/YouTube China Press