T

he Pamulang Police arrested Nurtamzi Bayu Kusuma, alias Acil, 21, on Tuesday for allegedly killing his wife, Citra Khairiyah Ilyaz, 19, in Pamulang, South Tangerang.

'€œ[Acil] is now being detained at the Pamulang Police precinct for further investigation. He escaped to Grobogan, Central Java, where he hid in his aunt'€™s house, where we nabbed him at 3:40 a.m. He ran from the crime scene without taking his cell phone, that'€™s why the search took a few days,'€ Pamulang Police chief Comr. Kristian Pau Adu said on Tuesday.

He added that the police eventually learned about his whereabouts because his family told the police. '€œWe had asked for their cooperation previously,'€ he said.

'€œThe murder happened on Friday at 4 a.m. in the rented room of their [the couple'€™s] friend, Novianto. Novianto found [Citra'€™s] dead body, naked, in his bathroom on Saturday, then reported it to the police,'€ Kristian told reporters regarding the police investigation so far.

After a preliminary investigation, the police concluded that jealousy was the motive behind the murder.

Citra and Acil married in 2012 but separated in 2013 after having a daughter, who is now two years old.

'€œAfter the separation, they still liked to meet up sometimes. The last time was when [Acil] said that he missed [Citra] and wanted to meet up so they met in their friend'€™s rented room,'€ Kristian went on.

The two then reportedly chatted normally until someone texted and called Citra, asking if she was willing to give a sexual service. '€œ[Acil] heard the conversation and forced [her to allow him] to read the text message, before they quarreled,'€ Kristian said.

Citra went to the bathroom to have a shower but her husband allegedly could not calm himself down and entered the bathroom. '€œHe said '€˜why are you like that?'€™ and she answered '€˜that'€™s none of your business.'€™ Later, he grabbed and throttled her around the neck,'€ Kristian said.

'€œThe doctor detected bruises only on the right of her neck and her right eye caused from the choking,'€ the police chief said, adding that the husband did not commit any other violence apart from throttling Citra with one hand.

As Acil choked Citra, she reportedly screamed for help and some neighbors who were still awake tried to enter the room but to no avail as the door was locked and the room was dark.

The police named Acil a suspect based on a physical investigation of the murder location, information from witnesses and several other pieces of evidence.

Kristian told reporters that the police were still investigating whether Citra had been a sex worker before the incident because they were still looking for her mobile phone, which Acil had sold before going into hiding.

'€œThe husband, meanwhile, is known to do odd jobs as well as drive an ojek [motorcycle taxi],'€ Kristian said. (rbk)