Latest / Shades of Murder / 70: True Horror Indonesia - The Mystery of Vina and Eky

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70: True Horror Indonesia - The Mystery of Vina and Eky · Shades of Murder

0:02
On a warm summer evening in Cherubon, Indonesia, a teenage
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couple would cross paths with unknown forces of darkness.
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What initially appeared to be a tragic motorbike accident would
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unfold into one of the most mysterious and strange incidents
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of homicide Indonesia would ever experience.
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Whispers of conspiracies and ghostly possessions continue to
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haunt this case to this day. Who were these innocent young
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victims and who were the real monsters behind the events that
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brutally ended their lives? Hello and welcome to shades of
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Murder. I'm your host Alita Caldwell.
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In this podcast, I discuss cases of murder from around the world
1:27
and throughout history, attempting to unravel the layers
1:32
of darkness that help make humans into monsters.
1:38
Please be forewarned that each episode contains specific and at
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times very graphic and disturbing details of the case.
1:48
This show is not intended for all audiences and listener
1:52
discretion is strongly advised. If you enjoy the show and would
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Share with a friend, leave a rating and leave a review.
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Your feedback and support makes all the difference.
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Thank you so much. Cherubon, known as the city of
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Shrimp, is a port city on the border between West Java and
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Central Java on the northern coastal plains of the region of
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Java in Indonesia. The culture there is
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particularly unique. It has a vibrant multi ethnic
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blend of Sundanese and Javanese along with Chinese, Indian,
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Arabic and European descendants. Tourists throughout the country
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and around the world come to experience the beauty, culinary
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wonders and historical landmarks of Chiriban.
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The Kerton Casapuhan, a royal palace built in 1529, showcases
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intricate designs and picturesque gardens.
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Another site is the Sun Yoragi Cave, which was an 18th century
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water palace, a cave complex originally built as a retreat
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for the sultans. It has amazing passages that
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resemble A labyrinth with magnificent statues and rock
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formations. Cherubon, as is most of
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Indonesia, is a relatively safe place to live and visit.
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Although the exact crime rate for the city of Cherubon is not
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recorded, Indonesia has one of the lowest homicide rates in the
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world, averaging .4 per 100,000 residents annually.
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Aside from common tourist scams or pickpocketing and isolated
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incidents of violence, which are more than often associated with
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drug trafficking. The night of August 27th, 2016
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would forever shatter this image when the community was deeply
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affected and divided by the horrific deaths of two of its
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young people. This is the true story behind
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the controversial horror film sensation Veena Before 7 days on
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a Saturday evening around six PM, 16 year old Veena Dewey
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Arcita was last seen by her friend Linda.
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The two girlfriends have been riding their motorbikes around
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the area, just messing around and having a good time.
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Veena ended up riding off shortly afterwards with her
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boyfriend Mohammed Aki Riski. When 11:00 PM came around and
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Veena still wasn't home. Her parents weren't happy about
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it, but they presumed she was off with Eki.
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It was well known by both of their families how smitten they
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were with one another. The two teens were madly in
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love. When Venus Parents learned from
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her friend Linda that she was last with Eckie.
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They contacted his parents, but neither of them were there and
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they didn't know where the two kids could be.
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Still, the families didn't panic right away until neither of
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their children showed up the following morning.
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In the early morning hours of August 28th, 3 police officers
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discovered the sight of a terrible scene on Jalan Raya
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Tulun in the Tulun District. Two young teenagers were found
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underneath a bridge on an elevated Rd. also known as a fly
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over and what appeared to be a tragic motorcycle accident.
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The young male was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The female victim was still alive but she was suffering from
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severe injuries. Both were taken to the hospital,
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but tragically, the young girl also later died.
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The two young victims were identified as 16 year old Veena
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DOI Arcita and 16 year old Muhammad Eki Ruski Rudyani.
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When Veena Arcita was found, she was wearing a skirt that was
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hiked up with her underwear visible.
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However, according to Doctor ETA Sylvia, who treated Veena on the
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night she was brought into the emergency room, she was wearing
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dark blue long pants. There were also strange
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circumstances around the children's deaths and the scene
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of the accident didn't make any sense.
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Veena's mobile phone had been found without any damage done to
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it, and even more strangely was her motorbike that barely had a
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scratch. It had minimal damage, the
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handlebar was bent, it had a broken Fender, and there were 20
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to 30cm sized scratches. Traces of cement were discovered
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on the front iron tire and scratches on the asphalt for 1.5
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meters, but strangely there were no brake marks.
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Even more bizarre is that neither of their helmets were
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broken, nor were any parts of the motorcycle.
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All of these elements left her family wondering how was it
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possible that Vena and Eckie had been killed in a traffic
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accident. Vena and Eckie's families were
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heartbroken, but they had no reason at the time to doubt what
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the police were telling them. Three days later, everything
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they believed would change. After Vina and Eckie's bodies
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were found, her sister Marliana received a shocking and strange
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phone call. It was from the brother of one
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of Vina's good friends, Linda, whom she had been with on the
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night she was killed. He told Mariana that the spirit
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of her dead sister had entered into his sister and was speaking
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through her. Mariana went to her father and
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they immediately went over to Linda's house to see what was
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going on. When they arrived, Linda's
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brother brought Mary, Liana and her father to Linda, who was
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waiting for them. Linda's face and eyes were hers
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and her voice didn't change, but the words were those of Vena's.
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Vena's sister Mariana recorded the voice that was coming from
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her friend Linda, who was seemingly possessed by Vena's
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spirit. The spirit said to them, don't
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be fooled by the police, it wasn't an accident.
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I was raped, killed, tortured, hit by wooden block.
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During the recording of the alleged channelling of her
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sister through her friend, a name was mentioned.
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Perrang Marliano went to the police with a recording of the
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spirit of her dad's sister, along with her mobile phone and
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other unreported evidence. With this information, law
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enforcement decided to reinvestigate the case as a
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homicide. This may sound very weird, not
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to mention beyond the realms of normal investigative protocols,
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but Indonesia is a land full of mysticism and beliefs in the
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supernatural are commonplace. Even though the police couldn't
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use the recording as evidence in court to prosecute any
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offenders, the information conveyed, or rather channelled
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through Linda was highly valuable to their investigation.
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Before this, their deaths were deemed accidental and there was
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no intention of pursuing the incident as anything outside of
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a tragic accident. The autopsy revealed elements of
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their deaths that also didn't equate to being an accident.
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Vena's wrists have been crushed and there was indication of
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sexual violation. Investigators began to look into
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the man mentioned during the alleged possession of Vena's
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friends and his associated motorbike gang members.
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Police officers soon gathered evidence to further support the
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events. As told by Vena through Linda,
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they collected some of their motorbikes, their phones and
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clothing, in addition to rocks and bits of bamboo.
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It was believed that Vina and Eki had been ambushed and
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brutally murdered by 11 gang members led by the man Parong. 8
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of the 11 men were soon identified and promptly
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arrested, charged with the rape and double homicide of the two
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teenagers. Three of the men, including the
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man believed to be the mastermind Parong, had
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disappeared. The defense counsel proposed the
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argument that there was no homicide at all and that the
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couple was in fact killed in a motorcycle crash, just as the
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initial investigation had determined.
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However, the subsequent investigation went into the
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extreme opposite direction and the prosecution claimed that
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Vena had been gang raped by the motorcycle gang members before
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she and Ecky were viciously murdered.
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The court case was held behind closed doors mainly due to the
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violently graphic nature of the crime and the victims being
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minors. A little over a year later, in
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May of 2017, the court would find all eight men guilty of the
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sexual violation of Vena and the first degree murders of her and
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her boyfriend Eki. 7 of the men were handed life sentences and
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another was given eight years imprisonment due to his being a
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minor At the time. It appeared that was the extent
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of the case and any semblance of justice for Vina Arcita and Eki
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Rudyani and their families. Seven years after these
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atrocious crimes occurred in Cherubon, A controversial horror
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film was released based on the murders and Vina's friend's
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alleged possession. It was an immediate success in
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Indonesia, becoming the second highest grossing film of 2024.
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The movie was met with some backlash, with many viewing its
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graphic depiction of the sexual violence and murders of two
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minors to be done in poor taste. Although it was an example of
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the blurry ethical line between the portrayal of art imitating
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life, especially concerning true crime.
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The film also reignited society's interest in their
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murders and in hunting down the three men who had gone
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unpunished. Social media became fascinated
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with this horrific and strange story involving the brutal slain
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of two young lovers, a possessed friend who led the police to
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reinvestigate their accidental deaths, and what initially
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appeared to be a police cover up.
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Within a week of the movie hitting theaters, law
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enforcement contacted Vina Arcita's family to inform them
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that the investigation had been escalated to now be handled by
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the much larger police force of the West Java Regional Police.
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On May 21st, 2024, only one week later, the police arrested two
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men and a construction worker named Peggy Satiowon.
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They had located one of the missing assailants, their main
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suspect, who was still wanted for rape and double murder.
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If convicted, he was facing the death penalty.
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The police later reported that they now believed the two wanted
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outstanding suspects, referred to as Danny and Andy in the
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records, were not real people, but rather they were possibly
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invented by some of the other offenders as potential suspects
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to divert attention and maybe were completely fabricated.
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West Java Police's criminal investigation Director, Chief
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Commissioner Sarawan came forward stating that the
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confusion around the number of wanted fugitives in the couple's
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death was due to misinformation spread by social media.
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Yet, in another statement, the commissioner claimed they
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initially believed there were three wanted men because of
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different statements that were made by the other offenders.
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Even Vena's sister Mariana couldn't help but have mixed
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emotions regarding the investigation.
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To have another suspect located and arrested for Vena and
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Eckie's murder almost eight years later was something to
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celebrate, to be happy about. But now, with the police
14:54
changing, the narrative about the two other fugitives no
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longer existing troubled her. She and her family had received
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information and followed the investigation exclusively from
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police depositions, which specifically stated that there
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were 3 remaining murder suspects at large.
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Now, officials swore that the two other men never existed.
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The police made it very difficult for Mariana to take
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them at their word. This is when the case became
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even more convoluted. Questions around who the real
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perpetrators were and who may have been victims of the system
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began to surface. Upon Peggy Satyawan's arrest, he
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was presented at a news conference as having been the
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mastermind in the rape and double homicide, which he
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vehemently denied having anything to do with.
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He cried out accusations against the police and said I never
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committed the murder, this is slander.
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I am willing to die to prove that I am innocent.
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In response, the police officers gagged him and escorted him to a
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prison cell, silencing him from speaking to the press any
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further. It is important to note that
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Indonesia doesn't have a bail system.
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Instead, they operate within a suspension of detention system
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where a suspect can request to be released from detention.
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Only an investigator, a judge or prosecutor has the authority to
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grant this request. Their decision is primarily
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based on their assessment of whether the suspect is a flight
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risk or danger to the community. The PR Chief for the West Java
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Region, Senior Commissioner Jules Abraham Abbas, confirmed
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to the press that along with his team, the National Police
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Headquarters Criminal Investigation Unit and the
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Cherubon City Police would perform a thorough and
17:06
transparent investigation, yet there was only evidence that the
17:11
opposite occurred. The suspect's grandmother's
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house was subsequently searched the following day.
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However, Peggy Satiowan's attorney, Saggianti Iriani was
17:23
never informed of the incident and was in fact with her client
17:28
during the BAP. The BAP is the standard official
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police report recorded during an interrogation.
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She also observed how only two days after the teens bodies were
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found back in August of 2016, Peggy's residence was searched
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and two motorcycles were confiscated, one that was his
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own and the other was his uncle's.
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At the time, Peggy Satuwan was not there and had already been
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working in Bundang as a construction worker since July.
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According to his lawyer Iriani. The police were informed of
18:05
this. Peggy Satiwan's lawyer claimed
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that her client was not in Cherubon on the night the two
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teens were killed. His parents and several of his
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colleagues offered to testify to his living in Bandung in August
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2016. The location of Peggy Satiwan
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was never actively pursued by the police.
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However, according to Senior Commissioner Sarawwan, the
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Director of General Crimes for West Java Regional Police, he
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was confident that Peggy was the primary offender.
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He was the ringleader parong behind the rape and double
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homicide. As to why it took seven years to
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track him down, the police explained that Peggy Satyawan
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had relocated several times between Cherubon and Bandung, a
19:03
city that was 140 kilometers away, and was living under a
19:08
fake identity, Rabi Irwan. He had changed his name and his
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biological father would acknowledge him and introduce
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him to other people as his nephew and not his son, further
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aiding his concealment. According to Commissioner
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Sarawan, Peggy Santeron initially tried to hide his real
19:30
identity from September 2016 to 2019, when he rented a boarding
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room in Katapang, the Dung region, under the name Robbie
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Irwan. Sarawan pointed to key witnesses
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at the crime scene and evidence in connection with his motorbike
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registration, which was allegedly used in the attack and
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which belonged to Peggy. Sir One informed the press that
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if he wanted to accuse the police of mistreatment, then he
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could file a pretrial motion, which the suspect did on July
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8th, 2024. Peggy Sitiowan's fate was
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determined at his pretrial motion.
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Article 184 of the Criminal Procedure Code in Indonesian law
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states that to meet the requirements of the evidentiary
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process. Two of the following sufficient
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pieces of preliminary evidence must be found.
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These can include testimony, witnesses, experts, and the
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suspect, in addition to official letters and instructions.
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Senior Commissioner Nerhati Handayani of the West Java
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Regional Police Chief of Legal Affairs stated that they had
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collected 3 pieces of sufficient evidence to determine that Peggy
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was the suspect in question, which he believed would prove to
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the judge that Peggy Situron was in fact the fugitive from the
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2016 files. Honda Yani addressed the
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conflicting information. He said that the reason Peggy
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appeared to be in Bandung at the time of the murders and not in
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Cherubon was that the timelines were delivered inaccurately by
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his legal team. According to Honda Yani, in
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Bandung, when someone was doing homework, what date was it?
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It was July, right? The home owner claimed it was
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August. So where was he living in July?
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Logically, there's a difference between the child and his
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parents. Those are the existing clues.
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The answers and justifications the police provided to the court
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and the community remained convoluted and puzzling.
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The judge heard all the inconsistencies of the case, in
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particular the police investigation and the arrest of
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Peggy Satiawan as their lead suspect.
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The data itself in the DPO or wanted persons list did not
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match the description of the man in custody.
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The address and physical characteristics of the fugitive
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were different from those of Peggy Satiawan.
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The fugitive was described as being 31 years old with curly
22:18
hair, multiple earrings and an address in Banjar Wanganon.
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Peggy Satyawan was 27 years old with straight hair, no earrings
22:29
nor signs of ear piercings and had an address in Kapong Pongan.
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None of the convicted offenders knew who the man was.
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Not only was Peggy Satuwan not known as a member of any
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motorcycle gang, but he wasn't well known by the residents of
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his village at all. He was known for being very
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quiet, even unsociable, and often left the city.
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On July 8th, 2024, Judge Iman Suleiman declared the suspect
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status as invalid and declared that all associated documents
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regarding his being a suspect as invalid and null and void.
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In a shocking turn of events, the judge ordered that the
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police release the suspect from detention immediately and that
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any further investigation into Peggy Satiawan as a suspect was
23:27
to end. The judge also made it a
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requirement for the West Java Regional Police to take the
23:34
necessary steps to restore his dignity and honour by declaring
23:40
him an invalid suspect in the rape of Vena and the murders of
23:46
both she and Eki. Peggy Satiowan's lawyer further
23:50
accused the police of having made a wrongful arrest and by
23:55
having removed two other suspects from the DPO list, they
24:00
focused solely on him. According to Peggy's attorney,
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the primary issue is that her client's arrest was based on the
24:10
Cherubon District Court's ruling and that the West Java Regional
24:14
Police had conflicting information regarding the three
24:18
wanted men. The original police indictment
24:21
had listed 11 men, including the three fugitives Andy, Danny and
24:29
Perong. According to official records of
24:33
the West Java Regional Police, these three men were initially
24:37
held in custody and then released, but now they claimed
24:42
these two other men, Andy and Danny, didn't even exist.
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However, during the pretrial motion, the court addressed that
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the two other fugitives are real and still on the run.
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It seemed obvious to Peggy Satyawan's lawyer that the
24:58
investigators were lying. Social media also aimed at the
25:02
police, calling Peggy Satiran's arrest an intentional sacrifice.
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He was marginalized, young, poor, a construction worker who
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had no connections or power, nor did his family.
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Many people believed that law enforcement viewed him as
25:20
disposable and tried to convict him to close up the case.
25:25
When Peggy Ceterion was released from prison, there was an
25:28
outpour of support and faith in his innocence as hundreds of
25:33
residents gathered at his home to welcome him back.
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At this time, there were growing concerns expressed by the
25:42
community and members of the justice system regarding the
25:46
lack of transparency and integrity and the handling of
25:51
this investigation. Some community members even
25:54
blamed Vina Arcita's family for wrongful accusations and the
25:59
torture of at least one offender.
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Then rumors began to swirl around police corruption and
26:07
torture induced confessions. These rumors were substantiated
26:12
by one of the police's and prosecutors key witnesses.
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A man named Deedee Rizwanto, key witness for the prosecution who
26:22
helped secure the conviction of the 8 suspects, came forward
26:28
with shocking allegations. He said his testimony was false.
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Deedee Rizwanto alleged that the murder case may have been
26:38
fabricated by the father of Muhammad Risky, Eki Rudyani.
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Eki's father was a first inspector with the Cherubon
26:47
Police Department. He was a low ranking officer in
26:51
the narcotics division at the time.
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Somehow, he became heavily involved in the homicide
26:57
investigation and arrest of several of the murder suspects.
27:02
Inspector Rudiani created his own team to conduct his own
27:06
investigation, including visiting the crime scene,
27:10
gathering information, and arresting and interviewing
27:13
suspects. Further, he interrogated them
27:16
inside the narcotics room without an assignment letter or
27:20
a legal order to do so. Dee Dee Rizwanto claimed that he
27:24
and his Co worker AF from a car wash went to the police station.
27:29
Both AF and Inspector Rudiani pressured him into making false
27:33
allegations against the men as if the arrangement had
27:38
previously been discussed. Rizwanto revealed that under the
27:42
instruction of Inspector Rudiani, he was to falsely
27:46
identify each of the suspects by name.
27:51
Inspector Rudiani even provided him with the brands of
27:55
motorcycles the men rode so it sounded as if he had been
27:59
witness to the gang chasing after the couple.
28:03
Inspector Rudiani asked the men to testify that they saw a
28:07
motorcycle gang chasing Vina and Eki down the street, throwing
28:12
stones and carrying pieces of bamboo.
28:15
Dee Dee claimed he felt intimidated by Rudiani because
28:18
he was a police inspector and he was afraid of what would happen
28:23
to him if he didn't do what was asked.
28:26
When he asked his Co worker a app why they should lie for the
28:30
cops, he said that the gang had bullied him in the past so he
28:34
could care less about what happened to the suspects.
28:37
During a podcast interview with the former Regent, Dee Dee
28:41
Rizwanto swore that he was telling the truth now and he was
28:45
willing to testify before Baris Grim, which is the Criminal
28:49
Investigation Unit of the National Police.
28:53
In a separate video he posted on YouTube, Dee Dee apologized for
28:57
lying to the convicted men. Dee Dee Rizwanto wasn't the only
29:02
witness who ended up retracting their testimony.
29:05
Liga Akbar, who was a friend of the victim Eki Rudyani, had
29:10
sworn in the trials that the eight men convicted of murder
29:14
that he met Eki on the night of the murders.
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He had first been asked to come identify some of the items that
29:21
were belonging to Eki while he was there.
29:24
Liga was pressured into claiming he was with Eki at the Tulun
29:28
Bridge, where he saw a group of men chasing after him and Veena.
29:34
This was to corroborate the story Dee Dee, Rizwanto and AEP
29:38
had told about witnessing the motorcycle gang throw stones and
29:42
carrying bamboo sticks at the couple before chasing them to
29:46
their deaths. Around this time, all 8
29:49
convicted offenders decided to retract their statements
29:54
alleging their criminal involvement.
29:56
They swore now that Inspector Rudiani had tortured them into
30:01
making false confessions. The police responded by claiming
30:05
that it was at the instruction of their lawyers that the
30:08
prisoners withdraw their statements and for no other
30:12
reason. All eight of the suspects had
30:14
been interrogated by the police without any legal protection or
30:20
family members being present, including the minor.
30:24
Yet the judge at the time ignored this blatant violation
30:29
of their rights. The men claimed that they were
30:32
tortured by officers at the Cherubon Metropolitan Police.
30:37
They didn't even know the victims or their alleged leader
30:41
Parong, nor the other two fugitives.
30:45
One of the convicts even filed an official complaint with the
30:49
Police Department against Inspector Rudiani.
30:52
All seven men appealed their life sentences.
30:56
The legal team addressed multiple violations and
30:59
procedural errors that were made during the investigation and in
31:04
their criminal trials. Specifically, their forensic
31:08
team claimed that there was no forensic evidence connecting
31:11
them to the crime. Even worse was how forensic
31:15
evidence was blatantly ignored and even refuted by the police.
31:21
They refused to look at security camera footage from the scene of
31:25
the crime and wouldn't conduct any DNA tests on the men.
31:29
There was no scientific proof that they had been the offenders
31:34
in the sexual assault or the double homicide.
31:38
Inspector Rudiani was highly criticized for stepping way
31:42
beyond the parameters of his authority and causing bias in
31:47
the investigation, which opened up an examination into the
31:52
investigation and his role. It seems it would have been
31:56
simple enough to just not let the man participate in any of
32:01
the proceedings or interviews. Needless to say, this officers
32:05
involvement in his son's murder case would have been a direct
32:08
conflict of interest. This is something that is highly
32:12
discouraged and more often than not leads to an officer being
32:15
removed from a case if they are closely tied to anyone involved.
32:21
This normally would be enforced, understandably so because high
32:26
emotions lead to biased actions and even illegal, sometimes
32:31
criminal methods. There was also discussion about
32:35
whether or not the fugitives were relatives of an official or
32:39
high-ranking police officer. The possibility of a conspiracy
32:44
revolving around the case continues to be shared by many
32:48
today, with the lack of forensic evidence, conflicting characters
32:53
or rather offenders involved in the crime.
32:56
On June 15th, 2024, a person on YouTube released a statement
33:01
claiming that one of the murderers was the son of an
33:05
official and the grandson of a national police official.
33:10
None of these claims were looked into.
33:13
According to the daily Chair of the National Police Commission
33:16
Benimamoto, significant deficiencies and concerns
33:20
regarding the investigation existed, including the methods
33:24
used, or rather not employed by the scientific crime
33:28
investigation and the allegations of intimidation and
33:32
violence used by the police. Mamato stated that it was
33:36
necessary to conduct an investigative audit into the
33:40
procedures. On June 20th, 2024, the National
33:44
Police Headquarters concluded that they found no violations
33:48
throughout their examination performed by the Professional
33:52
and Security Division, nor were any violations made into the
33:55
General Supervision Inspectorate done on Inspector Rudiani.
34:00
This opened up a domino effect on what a law enforcement
34:05
officer in Indonesia could legally get away with doing.
34:09
This precedent ultimately gave fellow police officers the
34:13
authority to conduct investigations and pursue
34:18
prosecutions without a formal task or order letter.
34:23
Ignoring the seriousness of Inspector Rudy on his actions
34:27
gave the police the allowance, almost permission, to arrest a
34:33
suspect without having any sufficient initial evidence.
34:38
Even more unsettling as how it established a permitted
34:42
environment and atmosphere for potential police abuse,
34:46
including violent torture of a suspect to induce a false
34:50
confession. An equally concerning issue is
34:54
how the charges made by the prosecution that were supported
34:58
by the judge in the criminal trials of these eight men didn't
35:02
match up with the evidence. The prosecutor had claimed
35:06
injuries were made to the victims by some kind of long
35:09
bladed weapon such as a samurai sword, which as addressed in
35:14
their judicial review, their autopsies didn't indicate.
35:18
Even worse were claims of Vena being the victim of gang rape.
35:21
The only evidence to support this was sperm found in the
35:25
victim's later exhumed body, which was never tested against
35:30
her boyfriend Ecky, nor any of the suspects.
35:34
There were also three separate crime scenes that were not
35:38
individually or diligently investigated.
35:42
The first scene being where the victims were taken down on the
35:44
motor bike at the fly over. The second site was an area of
35:48
empty land behind a group of vehicles which was believed to
35:52
be the site of where Vena was raped and both teenagers were
35:57
beaten and killed. The third spot was where the
35:59
victims bodies were discarded at the Tulum bridge.
36:02
Strangely, the main scene of the killings and abuse should have
36:07
warranted a lot of blood if Vena and Eki had been stabbed
36:11
multiple times with a long bladed weapon.
36:14
Yet there was no blood recorded at the scene.
36:18
There was no blood on the supposed weapons that used to
36:22
kill them, no blood found on the clothing of any of the
36:26
perpetrators, no fingerprints on the motorbike, at least nothing
36:31
that has ever been proven or released.
36:35
In August 2024, a lawyer representing 6 of the original
36:39
convicted murders filed a judicial review to challenge the
36:43
initial findings. During the judicial review
36:46
hearing, the defense team presented the court with a new
36:49
evidence to support their argument that the victims were
36:53
not killed at all, but in fact died in a tragic motorcycle
36:58
accident. These included photographs of
37:00
their bodies, which contradicted the claims previously made by
37:04
the prosecutors. There were no signs of injuries
37:07
inflicted by sharp weapons. The defense also showed a video
37:12
that formally retracted a witness testimony.
37:15
However, the prosecution rejected both pieces of
37:19
evidence, stating that the photos weren't new and therefore
37:22
weren't valid to the judicial review and that the authenticity
37:26
of the video of the witness couldn't be verified.
37:30
Despite all of these inconsistencies and
37:32
contradictory evidence, the Supreme Court determined that no
37:37
significant errors were made by the judges in their criminal
37:41
trials when assessing the law or the facts of the case.
37:44
Their judicial review was rejected and the court upheld
37:48
the seven life sentences. The youngest offender, Saktatol,
37:52
had earlier been released on good behavior after serving a
37:56
little under four years of his eight-year sentence, but he
37:59
ended up also seeking A judicial review.
38:02
Natal went to social media and claimed to have been a victim of
38:05
mistaken arrest and that he was forced to confess to the
38:09
murders. During an immediate interview,
38:11
he told reporters that he didn't know the victims, so at the time
38:15
he was very confused and afraid. The police beat him, kicked him
38:19
and even subjected him to electrocution to force a
38:23
confession out of the young man who was a minor at the time of
38:28
his arrest. The National Commission on Human
38:31
Rights, also known as Komnas Ham, had received a formal
38:35
complaint made by the lawyer who represented Hadi Septura,
38:39
Supriyanto, Iko Ramadani and the now released Comet Sakatatol in
38:44
September 13th, 2016. The complaint specified acts of
38:49
oppression allegedly made against the four men, including
38:53
coercion, obstruction of meetings with legal counsel and
38:57
family members, forced confessions and torture.
39:01
As of May 22nd, 2025, W Java Regional Police Public Relations
39:07
Chief Senior Commissioner Jules Abraham Abbast stated regarding
39:12
Saka Tatol's claims that he was a victim of mistaken identity
39:16
that the public needs to exercise restraint and believing
39:20
his claims or any claims that are made by the perpetrators.
39:24
To understand and fully appreciate this case, it is
39:28
necessary to view it through the lens of the supernatural beliefs
39:32
that are considered to be part of the national culture and the
39:36
differences in the criminal justice system in Indonesia.
39:40
Indonesia is a democratic nation.
39:42
There are separations of power and checks and balances that
39:45
overlook each power. Similar to those of the United
39:48
States, There are executive, administrative, and judicial
39:52
powers. Indonesia's legal system is
39:55
pluralistic, based on civil law, customary law, also referred to
40:00
as a dot religious law. Mainly Islamic Sharia.
40:04
There is one court of general jurisdiction and three courts of
40:07
limited but specialized jurisdiction.
40:10
They are religious, military, and administrative.
40:13
There are no juries. Civil and criminal decisions and
40:16
their subsequent sentences or punishment are determined by a
40:20
judge and very often a single judge.
40:24
There is a Court of Appeals and a Supreme Court that has the
40:27
final voice in legal matters, in addition to a Constitutional
40:31
court. The police have overreaching
40:33
power, and although the prosecutor has a direct hand
40:37
throughout the investigative process, there is little
40:41
oversight over their methods. This leads to many incidents and
40:45
claims of human rights violations by the police and
40:49
public outcries of police corruption.
40:52
Their criminal justice model is primarily focused on punishment
40:56
and deterrence, very similar to the United States.
40:59
As a result, their prison system faces the problems that come
41:03
when incarceration is the principal form of punishment.
41:06
Indonesia as of August 2024 had more than 215,000 inmates in
41:12
penitentiaries and another 53,000 individuals who were
41:17
being detained awaiting trial. This has caused an overcrowding
41:21
rate of 91%. In response, Indonesia has
41:26
shifted to adopting some more restorative justice methods.
41:30
Other incarceration is still predominantly used.
41:33
Individuals who commit homicide usually receive a true life
41:37
sentence or a maximum temporary life sentence, which equates to
41:42
20 years. The death penalty in Indonesia
41:45
is designated as a special punishment for the most serious
41:50
and atrocious of crimes, which is not limited to homicide.
41:54
A convicted offender is also eligible to receive the death
41:57
sentence for terrorism and large scale drug trafficking.
42:02
Data shows that over 90% of cases in which an offender
42:06
received the death penalty was for drug trafficking.
42:09
There are currently 500 people on death row.
42:12
The chosen method for executions in the country is death by
42:16
firing squad, which has been cited as being good practice for
42:20
the gunman. Although being put to death is
42:23
still rare amongst controversial new legislation that was just
42:27
introduced in 2026, there is now the possibility that a death row
42:32
inmate sentence can be commuted to life imprisonment if good
42:37
behavior is exhibited over a 10 year probation period.
42:41
This new set of criminal codes dismisses the Dutch based
42:45
colonial laws that no longer fit with an Indonesian society.
42:49
In some areas it is progressive, such as in the option to commute
42:53
a death sentence to life. However, in other areas there
42:57
has been an outcry of human rights violations with morality
43:01
based penalties now being imposed, including prison time
43:04
for acts that fall outside of the religion.
43:07
These can include having sex outside of marriage, which can
43:10
warrant a year in prison. Other extreme criminal codes
43:13
include three years for insulting the president.
43:16
An individual can face A10 year prison sentence for being
43:19
associated with a Marxist Leninist organization or
43:24
otherwise a communist group. A citizen can also face up to
43:27
five years if they deviate from the core teachings of the six
43:32
officially recognized religions. Needless to say, these are
43:36
digression in the area of freedom of speech and religion.
43:40
Indonesia is considered to be one of the most religious
43:43
countries in the world, home to the largest population of
43:47
Muslims. 98% of the people believe that God, religion and
43:52
prayers are important, which undoubtedly is reflected in this
43:56
new legislation regarding the spiritual possession of Linda by
44:00
her deceased friend Vena. This is not a leap of faith in
44:04
the supernatural. The spirit world is widely
44:08
accepted and even embraced by many of the cultures in
44:11
Indonesia. Indonesia is a place of
44:14
technological advancement with a strong focus on science, but
44:18
there are many customs and practices that are ingrained
44:22
with beliefs in the supernatural. faith in God and
44:26
belief in the supernatural are not separate from one another.
44:29
They often coexist, and one can help to understand the other.
44:34
The many unique cultures and ethnic backgrounds that make up
44:37
Indonesia, that make it so special and vibrant and unique,
44:42
have embedded their distinct mythology, folklore, legends,
44:46
taboos, and even witchcraft into everyday customs and practices.
44:52
Supernatural phenomena are most commonly associated with ghosts,
44:55
black magic, and what are known as indigo kids.
44:59
Indigo kids are kids who possess powers or skills aligned with
45:03
the supernatural, such as spirit possession.
45:06
As in the case of Linda and Veena, stories are passed down
45:10
generation after generation. There are stories about the
45:13
Cantilanac, a female ghost or vampire, the Tuya, which are
45:17
mythical childlike spirits, and the Pokong, which is a ghost
45:22
that appears as a corpse wrapped in a white burial shroud.
45:26
These are shared and spread among all religions, classes,
45:30
and belief systems, and horror has a strong influence on
45:34
literature, art, and film. Throughout Indonesia's history,
45:38
it has also not been uncommon for its leaders to claim a
45:43
Mystic mandate to rule. Some superstitions they share
45:48
are like many other cultures in the world, such as opening an
45:51
umbrella indoors, which can lead to bad luck or maybe as serious
45:55
as causing another person's death.
45:57
Or clipping your nails at night will bring evil spirits,
46:00
possibly even death, to a family member, which is a commonly
46:05
believed superstition in many Asian countries such as Japan,
46:09
China, India and in the Philippines.
46:12
Others are strictly found within Indonesian culture and customs,
46:15
such as how many Javanese people believe that Tuesday is a day of
46:20
contemplation and that nothing new should be started on that
46:24
day. Some business owners even close
46:27
their doors to business at all on Tuesday.
46:30
This superstition derived from a Javanese proverb, Soloso Celo
46:35
Salon Manongso, which translates to Tuesday, is the peak quiet of
46:40
humans. One particularly intriguing
46:43
belief takes place in Yogi Yakarta Umpiring Treatise Beach.
46:47
It is home to Ratu Kadul, also known as the Queen of the
46:51
Southern Sea, and green is her favorite color.
46:55
Visitors to the beach are prohibited from wearing green,
46:59
and there's a sign to help enforce it.
47:01
Locals believe that if someone wears green on the beach, Ratu
47:05
Kadul will lure them into the ocean and take them away to her
47:10
Kingdom. These beliefs and customs help
47:13
to understand why Linda's alleged spiritual possession by
47:17
Veena was not considered out of the realm of possibility, nor
47:21
was it deemed as silly, much less unimportant to the case,
47:25
since through her possession, the horror of what really
47:29
happened to her and that key was revealed.
47:32
But the truth of what really happened on that grim, fateful
47:36
night to Veena and Eki remains unknown.
47:40
It is also difficult to not question the authenticity of
47:43
information given by the victim, Veena through her friend Linda's
47:48
alleged possession, and why, if she specifically named Korong,
47:53
how is it possible that he wasn't the perpetrator in
47:56
Veena's rape and both her and Eki's deaths?
48:00
Some have also questioned if Linda was such a genuinely good
48:04
friend of Vena's, why did she move away from Cherubon shortly
48:09
after the recording was given to the police?
48:12
Maybe I'm just skeptical, but that is suspicious.
48:15
Some people believe that her alleged spiritual possession was
48:19
nothing more than a sham. Even stranger is how some people
48:24
have reported that there is a second recording of Linda being
48:28
possessed by her murdered friend Vena online.
48:32
According to various sources, the possible motive for Perong
48:36
wishing Vina and Eki dead was born out of his jealousy and
48:40
revenge. Perong and Vina had allegedly
48:43
been dating before she became involved with EKI, so it's been
48:47
speculated that this was his motivation for the rape and
48:51
murders. Did Linda want revenge on Perong
48:54
and the members of this motorcycle gang for some unknown
48:58
reason, or was she somehow manipulated into seeing in his
49:01
name? It's all very mysterious and
49:05
extremely bizarre that the police accepted this recording
49:09
of an allegedly possessed girl as the legitimate investigative
49:13
evidence I am open to. The concepts of the
49:16
supernatural, including spiritual possession, are being
49:20
channelled by a spirit. I think it's incredible when the
49:23
FBI and other strict law enforcement agencies are open
49:27
minded enough to work with psychics and others in the world
49:31
of mystical beliefs to assist them in investigations of
49:35
missing persons or even homicides.
49:38
However, I would want more tangible evidence of the crime
49:43
and proof of who was involved in my child's death before I
49:46
believed that certain individuals committed the ACT.
49:50
This is where this strange and unethical behavior of Eki
49:55
Rudyani's father comes into question.
49:57
Is it possible that Eki's police officer, the narcotics officer,
50:01
and not supposed to be at all involved in a homicide
50:04
investigation, had ulterior motives against the men who were
50:09
arrested and convicted? Could this unknown agenda fueled
50:13
his involvement in the investigation and subsequent
50:16
targeting and arrest of the wrong perpetrators?
50:19
I don't understand how the Police Department allowed him to
50:23
interview and take the reins over his own son's murder.
50:26
And if what Dee Dee Rizwanto claims to be true, that he was
50:31
intimidated and pressured into providing false testimony that
50:36
placed the eight men at the scene of the crime, which was
50:39
backed up by legal black bars, later withdrawal of his
50:43
testimony, how was it determined that no violations were
50:47
committed? Nothing beneficial can come from
50:51
DD and Liga now claiming that their testimony wasn't true.
50:55
They would realistically be facing charges of perjury and
50:59
obstruction of justice, and Eckie's father should be facing
51:03
charges of police misconduct and abuse at the very least.
51:07
But none of this happened. Vina Arcita and Eckie Rudyani's
51:11
loved ones deserve answers and true justice.
51:15
But true justice only comes if the right people are punished.
51:21
Which leads to the question of who could have been behind the
51:26
assault and murders? Is it someone related to an
51:29
official or high-ranking police officer?
51:32
Who's being protected? And these other men have become
51:35
the unfortunate lambs of sacrifice.
51:39
Was there even a sexual assault at all?
51:41
Without any DNA having been taken, there is no way to prove
51:46
that it was any of the eight men who were convicted of this
51:50
crime. And why would the police have
51:52
neglected to view the CCTV footage near the Tulun Bridge
51:57
unless there was something and someone they wanted to hide?
52:02
There are so many levels of corruption, inaction, abuse and
52:07
a gross absence of due diligence in this investigation that it's
52:12
impossible to not question whether it was all a cover up or
52:17
perhaps even a ruse to conceal another crime.
52:21
Could all eight of these men, all young men in their early to
52:26
late 20s, be in fact innocent of these horrendous crimes they
52:31
have been convicted of? With the exception of the minor
52:35
who was previously released, all of these men are still paying
52:39
for these crimes with their lives to day and likely will for
52:44
the remainder of their days. All of the evidence points to
52:48
these men being innocent. None of its supports, much less
52:52
justifies. They're being locked away in an
52:56
overcrowded, dirty, underfunded, under resourced prison cell
53:01
while the true killers continue to escape justice.
53:05
There are nothing but questions revolving around this case and
53:09
holes in the investigation. I wonder whether the people of
53:12
Indonesia and the world will ever learn the truth behind the
53:17
deaths of Vina and Eggy, or if the secrets and mysteries of
53:22
that night will forever remain shrouded in darkness.
53:27
Thank you so much for listening to the fascinating and
53:30
intriguing murder mystery of Vina, Dewey Arcita, and Eki
53:35
Rudyani. If you have any questions,
53:38
comments, or ideas for future episodes, I would love to hear
53:41
from you. Please reach out.
53:43
You can find my contact information in the episode
53:46
description. If you enjoy the show and want
53:49
to help the community grow, please make sure you are
53:52
following. Leave a reading and a review.
53:56
Your support means everything. Thank you.
53:59
Until next time, stay safe and watch over Shades of Murder
54:05
happening in the streets next door, especially inside your own
54:12
home. Shades of Murder is created,
54:15
researched, written and edited by Lita Caldwell.
54:20
Original music stranger composed by stereo code.