Woman Dies At Hotel Sarkem Surabaya, Killer Pickpocket In Terminal

Release of murder at Polrestabes Surabaya/PHOTO via Police Public Relations Division

SURABAYA - The police revealed the murder of Sofia (45) in a hotel room on Jalan Pasar Kembang (Sarkem), Surabaya. Priyono killed the widow.

The disclosure of this case began with the discovery of the victim's body with the victim's head submerged in the bathroom tub. From the results of the autopsy and post-mortem, the victim's body was found to have been injured by violence.

"Based on the suspect's statement, he was willing to kill because he was annoyed at being lured by the victim in the amount of Rp. 20 million," said the Surabaya Police Chief, Kombes Akhmad Yusep Gunawan, quoted from a written statement, Wednesday, June 29.

This murder case began when Sofia met Priyono at a terminal in Surabaya. At that time, the victim admitted that he had Rp. 20 million in his bag.

This money is said by the victim to be used for wedding expenses if the perpetrator is serious about having a relationship.

From there, Priyono asked Sofia to stay at a hotel, with the intention of controlling the victim's money.

Arriving at the hotel, the victim who was taking a shower was immediately smothered from behind. At that time the victim fought back. The perpetrator immediately hit the victim against the wall, and then immersed in the bathtub.

"After that, the suspect opened the victim's bag and it contained only Rp. 300 thousand," said Kombes Akhmad.

The murder was revealed thanks to the discovery of the hotel room key. At that time, a resident came to the Sawahan Police, to report while carrying the hotel key.

It turned out to be the key to the hotel room occupied by the perpetrator and the victim. The perpetrator and the victim entered the hotel on Tuesday, May 31. The perpetrator was in the room for less than an hour. The perpetrator had locked the room from the outside and threw away the key.

"There was a hotel key that was thrown in front of someone's house in a pot in the Banyu Urip area," said Sawahan Police Chief Kompol Rizky Fardian in a case release.

Based on the report, the Sawahan Police and Surabaya Polrestabes immediately conducted an investigation. Police finally managed to find the identity of the perpetrator.

It turned out that the perpetrator was a recidivist and pickpocket who used to act in the terminal.

"I was arrested in Jombang, when I was at the terminal I wanted to escape to Madiun," said Priyono.

In this murder case, the suspect was charged with Article 338, subsidiary to Article 340 of the Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of 20 years in prison.