KUALA LUMPUR — Authorities have located the weapon believed to have been used in the brutal killings of a woman and her adopted daughter at their rented home in Juru, Penang, on Saturday.
Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail confirmed to the NST that the weapon was discovered behind the victims’ house.
“As of now, investigation is still underway. But I can confirm that we have found the weapon, believed to be used in the murder,” Azizee said, withholding further details.
Preliminary findings from Penang Hospital’s forensic pathologist Datuk Dr Zahari Noor revealed that the victims, 51-year-old Sariya Che Hin and her 11-year-old adopted daughter Nur Afrina Alisha Abdul Rahim, both sustained fatal neck injuries, possibly from a heavy, sharp object, potentially a meat-cutting knife.
The bodies were discovered by Sariya’s husband around 7.30pm on Saturday. He has since been remanded to assist in the ongoing investigation. Azizee added that police are scrutinising various social media claims related to the husband, including allegations that he was absent from work prior to the incident, contradicting his earlier statements.
Viral voice recordings, one of which allegedly features a child shouting, are also being investigated.
“All these are still under investigation. We are probing from all angles. As I said, the husband is not a suspect. He is just remanded to assist in the investigation,” Azizee explained.
In a separate development, police have arrested two additional men, one of whom is a foreign national, in connection with the case. The men, both in their 40s, were detained in the Juru area earlier today.
“The suspects will be brought to court tomorrow for remand proceedings. We believe they can assist in the investigation of this case,” Azizee said.
The police are continuing their investigation to determine whether other individuals may be involved in the double homicide, with efforts focused on establishing the motive.
The bodies of Sariya and Nur Afrina were found in a disturbing condition at their Kampung Sekolah Juru home, sparking widespread media attention. The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
The 57-year-old husband remains in police custody, with his remand set to last until October 25, 2025. – October 20, 2025