IPOH: A 24-year-old man here was arrested after admitting to beating a teenager to death with a hammer in the belief that she was in a romantic relationship with someone else.
The 18-year-old victim, Siti Sufiah Halim Ong, was found dead by her mother at her home in Persiaran Pengkalan Timur, Taman Desa Pakatan here, at 7.30am on Saturday.
The man – an OKU (person with learning disability) cardholder – had known Siti Sufiah for four years, and the two were believed to be merely close friends. The man was a frequent visitor to the house, having befriended the family after Siti Sufiah’s father died in 2012.
On Friday, the man drove Siti Sufiah to her work place and transported her home at night, Bernama reported.
According to the victim’s mother, Siti Sayati Kamil, 46, the duo chatted in the house for over an hour. She said there was no sign of anything amiss.
However, she found her daughter dead at 7.30am the next morning.
“The autopsy revealed that the victim suffered a brain haemorrhage, a fractured skull and cuts and bruises to the head. The cause of death was blunt force trauma,” said Ipoh district police chief Assistant Commissioner Asmadi Abd Aziz.
He said the suspect admitted to assaulting Siti Sufiah in the belief that she had begun a romantic relationship with another man.
Police seized a hammer and a piece of wood from the suspect, who has no criminal record, Asmadi added.
The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
When met at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital’s Forensic Department here, Siti Sayati said: “Siti Sufiah just wanted to take care of me forever, and wanted me to quit my job.”
The eldest of two siblings, Siti Sufiah had just started work at a fruit stand in Pengkalan, but aspired to join the police force.