Forensic Team Investigates Findings of Exhumation Reveals Sutrimoo's Death

Chairman of the Forensic Doctors Team Prof Ahmad Yudianto, Karolabdokkes Polri who is also the Chairman of PDFMI Brigjen Sumy Hastry Purwanti and Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Budi Hermanto/ANTARA/Sumarwoto

PURWOKERTO - The forensic doctor team deployed by the Regional Police (Polda) Metro Jaya is still investigating a number of findings from the exhumation process of Sutrimo's body to reveal the cause of death through laboratory examination.

The examination was carried out after the team completed a series of exhumations, external examinations, autopsies, and the collection of various samples from the deceased's body at the Bantaragung Cemetery, Wlahar Village, Wangon District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java, Wednesday, August 12.

The head of the Forensic Doctor Team, Prof. Ahmad Yudianto, said that laboratory examinations were needed to complement the results of the external and internal examination of the body, which visually did not show signs of injuries caused by sharp objects.

"Based on the external examination and internal examination visually, we did not get any signs of injuries due to sharp objects," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

According to him, the team took samples from various parts of the body to determine the cause of death, including tissues, internal organs, and samples through swabs.

The samples were then examined through histopathology to determine the condition of the tissue, toxicology to detect the possibility of toxins or certain substances, and other examinations needed to support the identification process.

He estimated that the entire laboratory examination would take about two to three weeks because the number of samples taken was quite a lot and came from various parts of the body.

"The estimate we get is about two to three weeks, which means that all laboratory examinations can be completed," he said.

He explained that the samples taken came from body parts ranging from the head to the bottom, including the skin, stomach contents, heart, and other body parts.

The thorough sampling was carried out because Sutrimo's body had been buried since July 23 so that the process of decomposition had lasted for almost three weeks.

This condition, he said, makes visual examination limited so that laboratory examination is needed in more depth.

In addition, the team also took swab samples from the nose and mouth after receiving information that when he died there was fluid or foam coming out of both parts.

"At the time we exhumed it was gone, but we tried to take it by swabbing, whether there were still remnants of what was contained. We are waiting for the laboratory," said the forensic doctor from the Indonesian Forensic-Medical Legal Association (PDFMI) East Java Branch.

He said the results of toxicology, DNA, and histopathology would be used to complement the findings from the exhumation and autopsy processes.

On that occasion, the Head of the Police Medical Laboratory Bureau (Karolabdokkes) of the National Police, who is also the Chairman of the PDFMI, Brigadier General Police Sumy Hastry Purwanti, said the identity of the body examined was in accordance with the deceased Sutrimo.

According to him, the identification was based on the left foot's thumb that did not exist and a scar on the lower right part of the body that had previously been reported by the family.

Meanwhile, the examination of the inside of the body was carried out by a team of forensic doctors from various institutions and disciplines as part of the scientific crime investigation.

Head of Public Relations of the Metro Jaya Police, Commissioner General of Police Budi Hermanto, said that the involvement of various institutions and disciplines of expertise was carried out to maintain the objectivity, integrity, and accountability of the examination.

He said the results of the laboratory examination would later become an important part of the investigation process to obtain a clearer picture of the cause of Sutrimo's death.