Why an Indonesian Man Fed His Mother-in-Law Poison-Laced Satay in a Chilling Pre-meditated Murder Plot

A seemingly ordinary food delivery turned into a chilling murder investigation in Indonesia after a man was accused of poisoning his mother-in-law with rat poison hidden in a serving of chicken satay.

Police in Central Java have arrested 40-year-old Purwadi Wahyudi over the death of his 57-year-old mother-in-law, identified only as Aminah.

Investigators allege the killing was carefully planned and motivated by long-standing resentment, with the suspect reportedly believing he had been repeatedly disrespected by the victim.

The shocking case has attracted national attention due to the elaborate measures allegedly taken to conceal the crime and divert suspicion away from the true perpetrator.

Poisoned Satay Delivery Allegedly Used to Commit Murder

According to police, the fatal chain of events began on 18 May when Purwadi allegedly purchased chicken satay before contaminating it with rat poison and other toxic chemicals. Detectives say the poisoned food was then sent to Aminah's home through a delivery service.

The victim reportedly received the unexpected package from an unknown sender and later informed family members about the delivery. Her youngest daughter, Luriyanti Putri, told investigators she had not ordered or sent the food and advised her mother not to eat it.

However, Aminah is believed to have consumed the satay. The following day, her body was discovered at her home by a relative. Police later revealed that she was found covered in vomit, immediately raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her death.

Initially, the woman was buried, but concerns expressed by family members prompted authorities to launch an investigation into whether she had died from natural causes.

Victim Found Dead After Consuming Satay Laced with Rat Poison

As suspicions grew, police ordered Aminah's body to be exhumed for forensic examination. The results uncovered evidence of poisoning in several major organs and detected traces of toxic chemicals consistent with the use of rat poison.

Additional clues reportedly emerged from the victim's neighbourhood. One resident told investigators that several chickens had been found dead near a coop around the same time, further fuelling suspicions that poison had been involved.

Police say the evidence pointed towards deliberate poisoning rather than accidental contamination, transforming the case into a murder inquiry.

Alleged Disrespect Said to Be Motive Behind Killing

Investigators believe the suspect's motive stemmed from personal grievances against his mother-in-law. According to police, Purwadi felt he had been treated disrespectfully by Aminah and sought revenge. The man had planned to slay his mother-in-law as he felt distressed that she had often isolated and ignored him.

Authorities allege he attempted to frame his sister-in-law, Luriyanti Putri, by creating a delivery-app account using her name and photograph. Detectives say the account was then used to arrange the delivery of the poisoned satay.

The alleged deception raised concerns among both the delivery driver and the satay vendor, who reportedly noticed irregularities before the food reached its destination.

Purwadi has been named as a suspect and remains in police custody while the investigation continues. He has not yet been formally charged. Under Indonesian law, a murder conviction can carry the death penalty or a prison sentence of at least 20 years.

Police say they are continuing to gather evidence as they prepare the case for prosecutors.