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THE 28-year-old husband suspected of murdering his wife at their apartment on Jalan Tuna in Seberang Jaya is under police remand after a forensic examination revealed that the victim died from suffocation rather than the superficial neck wound initially observed.
Datuk Dr Zahari Noor, a forensic pathologist from Penang Hospital (HPP), who conducted the autopsy, stated that the victim, identified as Wan Khairul Safinah, had only a single, shallow cut on her neck caused by a paper cutter blade.
“We found a slash on the neck made by the suspect using a blade. The cut was not very deep, and the bleeding was minimal,” Dr Zahari told reporters at the Forensic Unit of Seberang Jaya Hospital (HSJ) on Friday.
Dr Zahari clarified that the victim’s death resulted from suffocation after the suspect covered her mouth and nose with a cloth.
“The victim did not die because of the cut, but because she was suffocated when the suspect pressed a cloth over her mouth and nose until she died,” he said.
According to media reports, the suspect went to a nearby police station four days after the alleged killing to report the incident. He admitted that the death had occurred at their home on the second floor of the apartment.
The victim’s body was claimed by family members and subsequently buried at the Tanah Perkuburan Islam Masjid Suka Menanti in Alor Setar following Asar prayers.
The suspect has been remanded for seven days until 18 December for investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Authorities are continuing their inquiries into the tragic incident, which has raised renewed attention to domestic safety and violence concerns. - December 12, 2025