Man Arrested Over Poison‑Laced Satay Murder in Indonesia


Boyolali Police investigators pose with evidence
Investigators pose with evidence collected during the murder inquiry


Police in Indonesia’s Central Java province have arrested Purwadi Wahyudi, a 40‑year‑old man suspected of murdering his mother‑in‑law with insecticide‑containing satay.


According to officials, the suspect ordered chicken skewers on 18 May, dipped the meat in toxic chemicals, and sent the food to the family’s house after feeling disrespected by the victim.


Police say Purwadi also tried to frame his sister‑in‑law, Luriyanti Putri, who discovered the 57‑year‑old woman covered in vomit the following day.


The victim was buried after a coroner’s report deemed the death suspicious; forensic tests revealed poisoning in most organs and traces of toxic substances.


Purwadi is being held as a suspect, although no formal murder charge has yet been filed—charges in Indonesia carry either the death penalty or at least 20 years in prison.


The investigation highlighted a meticulously planned attack, with Purwadi posing on a delivery app under the victim’s name and photos, further complicating the case.


Officials are continuing the inquiry as they seek to establish the full extent of the alleged poisoning and the suspect’s motives.