Repayment of Rs 60K led to woman’s murder by couple

Mangaluru: The sensational murder of Shreemati Shetty, 35, whose body was chopped into several pieces and thrown in three different parts of the city, was committed by a couple. It was committed as the couple were unable to pay back Rs 60,000 borrowed from the victim.
Sandeep Patil, city police commissioner, Mangaluru, on Tuesday announced the arrest of couple Jonas Julin Samson, 36, and his wife Victoria Mathias, 46, currently residing at eight cross, Sooterpet, Valencia, in connection with the gruesome murder. The remaining parts of the victim’s body, which include her legs, were too recovered near Kadri Jogi Mutt on Tuesday, three days after the incident. Police have also recovered valuables belonging to the victim and a two-wheeler.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the murder was not a premeditated one. “We are investigating the same and cannot rule out it being a premeditated murder, since there was a financial transaction between the victim and accused,” said a senior police official.
Reason for murder
Police sources said that Shreemati Shetty, a resident of Amar Alva road, used to run an electrical shop near Attavar, and was also into chit-funds as well as moneylending. She was a divorcee, and her husband is currently in jail for a theft case. She was living with her maternal aunt.
Accused Jonas had borrowed about Rs 1 lakh from Shreemati, a few months ago, and he repaid her about Rs 40,000. Jonas, who is also an accused in a murder case registered in Mangaluru South police station limits in 2008, was running a passport services office near Nandigudda. However, from the past one month, Jonas had suffered huge losses and had to shut down his office. He was staying with his wife at a rented house. Shreemati used to demand repayment of the remaining amount from Jonas, and frequented his house for settlement. However, he was reluctant to pay back the deficit amount, which had irked Shreemati.
On Saturday morning, fed up with him not paying up, Shreemati went to his house at Sooterpet around 9am. Jonas and his wife were present at the house. Soon after entering the house, Shreemati started demanding the money owed to her, and there was an altercation between the duo. In a fit of rage, Jonas hit her with a wooden log. She collapsed and fell down unconscious. Fearing reprisals, he dragged her inside the washroom and slit her throat. He later chopped her body into several parts and waited till night fell to dispose of the body. Meanwhile, Jonas took the victim’s two-wheeler to Nagori and parked it there, in order to misguide the police.
Once it was dark, Jonas used his two-wheeler, which is now seized by the police, to dispose of the body in several places. The mutilated body was first found in Kadri-KPT on Sunday morning, at Nandigudda later on Sunday and near Kadri Jogi Mutt on Tuesday.
Hours after disposing of the victim’s body, Jonas, who removed all her valuables, which were valued at Rs 1 lakh, visited his friend’s house. He gave the valuables to him for safekeeping. When his friend asked questions about the valuables, Jonas claimed that his houseowner had threatened to cancel his house agreement as he didn’t pay rent for many months, and that the valuables were to to be sold to help pay his rent. Jonas also sent his wife, who is currently in police custody, to her relatives house after the incident.
Late on Tuesday night, the police, based on receiving vital clues about the incident, raided his house, during the course of which Jonas tried to end his life. He is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital. “We will continue to interrogate him once he is discharged from hospital,” said Sandeep Patil.
According to Mangaluru city police sources, three teams totalling up to 30 police personnel were formed to crack the case. They had analysed a huge amount of data including phone calls. The victim was in contact with several people because of her business, and it was hence difficult for the police to zero in upon the right accused. Her cell phone had over 1,700 contacts in it. Jonas’s role came to the fore during analysis of technical data.
The victim was not in much contact with the accused over phone. Even on the fateful day, Shreemati did not call him. On the day she was murdered, she paid a surprise visit to demand money from Jonas, as there were chances that the accused would avoid her if she had informed him of wanting to meet him, earlier over phone,” said an investigating officer.