JAKARTA – A 67-year-old man, identified by the initial N, allegedly killed his 56-year-old wife, Harsalena, at their home in the Bintan Permata Indah Housing estate, Jalan Ganet, Tanjungpinang, in the Riau Islands on Wednesday.
According to the Riau Islands Police Director of General Criminal Investigations Senior Commissioner Ronni Bonic, the suspect claimed he was "hurt" after being repeatedly insulted by his wife, who allegedly called him "fat" and "ugly".
Police stated that the man struck the victim on the head with a piece of wood before stabbing her with a machete.
When the couple's child arrived home after hearing an argument, the suspect reportedly confessed to the killing.
The suspect had already placed part of the victim’s body into a sack, leaving the remaining remains inside the house. The child immediately fled to lodge a police report.
Investigation into the suspect's background revealed that he is a former murder convict.
He had only recently been released from prison in August 2025 after serving a sentence for the murder of a former girlfriend.
Police are currently investigating the case under the suspicion that the act may have been premeditated.
Under the Indonesian Penal Code, premeditated murder (Article 340) can carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. - AGENCY