MANGALURU: Three persons, including a couple, were convicted in the sensational murder of Shreemathi Shetty, whose mutilated body parts were found in gunny bags in various parts of Mangaluru.
Public prosecutor Judith OM Crasta said First Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Mallikarjuna Swamy HS found accused Jonas Samson (35) and Victoria Mathias (47), both from Valencia, and Raju (29) from Marakada guilty of committing the murder on Friday. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on September 17.
Crasta said the victim hailed from Mangaluru and was running an electrical equipment repair shop at Attavar and a chit fund business. Jonas had not paid two installments of Rs 60,000 of the loan he borrowed from Sreemathi. When she went to his house and asked him to pay the money on May 11 in 2019, Jonas attacked her and she fell unconscious.
Later, Jonas rode the victim's two-wheeler and dumped it near Naguri. Upon returning home, he killed the victim with the help of his wife Victoria. They cut her body into several pieces, stole the jewellery and dumped the body pieces near KPT, Nandigudda crematorium and different spots in the city.
His wife destroyed evidence by cleaning up the murder spot and the weapons used. The couple later went to Raju's house who provided them shelter and his two-wheeler to the couple.
Based on a complaint filed by Somesh, a petty shop vendor at KPT where the couple had dumped the head and limbs of the victim, Mangaluru East Police Inspector Mahesh M investigated the case and based on the victim's last call records, arrested the accused.
Jonas had tried to kill himself when the police went to his house to arrest him a few days after the crime. The judge examined 48 witnesses and found the couple guilty under Sections 302, 392, 201 and third accused Raju under Section 414 of the IPC.