JOHOR BARU: The mystery behind a wife, who was said to be missing after running away from home, was answered when her dead body was found in a water drum buried in a lemongrass farm, in z, on Thursday morning.
The victim's 43-year-old husband, who is the prime suspect, was believed to have shot his 38-year-old wife, while she was sleeping at their home in Taman Saujana, Kota Tinggi.
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said they believed that jealousy was the motive behind the murder, which was also backed by a 'fasakh' (divorce) letter found at the residence.
The case unravelled when the victim's neighbour lodged a report after the mother of two went missing on Monday.
He said subsequently, they detained the victim's husband as well as his close friend, a 32-year-old male suspect.
"The women's husband, during initial investigation, revealed that his wife left their home at about 2pm on Monday and never returned.
"The suspect claimed that there was a misunderstanding with his wife before she left the house.
"However, the victim's husband, an excavator driver, finally confessed to killing his wife while the woman was sleeping using an air rifle.
"The body of the woman was placed in a blue water drum with a bedsheet before it was taken to a lemongrass field in Bandar Penawar, more than 30km from their residence and buried there," he said at a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters here yesterday.
Ayob Khan added that the suspect then showed police the location where his wife was buried on Thursday at about 10.30pm.
He said the victim's body was found stuffed in the water drum which was buried about two metres deep in the lemongrass farm.
"We believe the suspect transported the blue water drum in his four-wheel drive to the farm before using an excavator to dig a hole to bury it.
"Further investigation at the suspect's house led to the seizure of an air rifle, a shotgun, 54 12 bore-gauge bullets, a Mitsubishi Pajero four-wheel drive and an excavator," he said.
Ayob Khan said investigation also revealed that the suspect had two previous criminal records involving causing injury and possession of a firearm.
He said both suspects have been remanded for six days from yesterday till next Wednesday and the case was being investigated under Section 302 for murder, which carries the mandatory death sentence.
"Both suspects are also being investigated under Section 36 of the Firearms Act 1960.
"Police managed to solve the case within three days after the report was lodged," he said.