KLANG: S. Karthigesu, a psychology lecturer who had been acquitted in the murder case of beauty queen Jean Perera Sinnappa 44 years ago, passed away on Sunday (Aug 27).
He died at his home in Teluk Pulai here at around 8:40 am after a brief illness. He was suffering from a heart ailment and had dementia.
A source mentioned that his health deteriorated recently, leading to his admission in a private hospital for several days before his discharge.
Karthigesu is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son.
The brutal murder of Sinnappa on April 6, 1979, was shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
The case continued to captivate public interest over the decades, even inspiring documentaries produced by local and foreign news outlets.
Karthigesu was the brother-in-law of Sinnappa, a well-known participant in beauty pageants at the time, who hailed from Negri Sembilan.
The mother of three became a widow at a young age when her chemist husband, who happened to be Karthigesu’s brother, died in a road accident in Petaling Jaya.
During the incident, Sinnappa, who was with him, sustained only minor injuries.
Not long after losing her husband, Sinnappa and her children moved in with her mother-in-law in Klang.
Shortly after, Karthigesu, who was then a 37-year-old bachelor residing under the same roof, initiated a romantic relationship with Sinnappa. However, the situation took a sinister turn four months later.
One fateful day, Karthigesu left home with Sinnappa before motorists discovered him disoriented and lying next to his car on the Federal Highway near the Subang Airport interchange.
Motorists were shocked to find Sinnappa dead in the front seat of the vehicle, having sustained multiple stab wounds on her chest.
Karthigesu claimed that he had pulled over to relieve himself when he was assaulted and lost consciousness.
His claims did not convince the police, and Karthigesu was charged with Sinnappa’s murder.
The murder trial lasted for over a month, during which nearly 60 witnesses testified at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Eventually, Karthigesu was found guilty and sentenced to death.
However, two months later, he was released when a key witness in the case was discovered to have committed perjury by providing false testimony.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
