CID arrest quadruple murder suspect

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

The CID yesterday arrested the main suspect responsible for the quadruple murder of a family in Nainamadama on December 30.

The suspect who was the watcher of a coir mill in Dummaladeniya, Nainamadama was arrested by a special CID team while hiding in a house in Galkiriyagama with a woman. The police also took the woman into custody, who was later learnt to be his paramour.

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana told the media last evening that the suspect had killed the family of four by assaulting them with a blunt weapon over a payment issue.

The head of the family, Nalin Hettiarachchi (52), his wife Punya Wijetunga (42), Chanuka Hettiarachchi (15) and Piyumi Hettiarchchi (13) had been killed and the bodies were dumped in a backyard pond used to soften husks.

Punya Wijetunga was a dentist attached to Lunuwila Hospital. The Medical Officer of the Lunuwila Hospital who noticed Punya's absence for for two days had informed Wennappuwa Police who searched the house.

The bodies were recovered on January 1 and a post-mortem was held. It was evident that the 13-year-old daughter had been sexually abused by the suspect before being killed and dumped into the pond.

The suspect who killed the family had stolen the gold jewellery belonging to the two females and fled with his paramour. The CID used sniffer dogs to collect evidence and recorded statements from people in the area.