JOHOR BARU: The skeletal remains of six murder victims have been found in a house that was destroyed by fire in Kangkar Pulai here.
The victims included three children and a teenager.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the remains were found in a house in an oil palm plantation on Jan 9.
"The remains were discovered by a 48-year-old man who had been trying to locate his family members after losing contact with them for three months.
"The man claimed that his wife and children were staying at the house after they separated," he said during a press conference at the Johor police headquarters on Tuesday (Feb 3).
Comm Ab Rahaman said the man lodged a report at the Iskandar Puteri police headquarters after he made the discovery.
He said the house where the victims were staying was abandoned, located about 2km from the main road and had no water or electricity supply.
"Post-mortem examinations confirmed that the remains belonged to two adults, a teenager and three children who had been reported missing.
"They were aged two, five, nine, 17, 29 and 35. Checks also revealed that the minors, comprising one boy and three girls had no school records," he said.
He said four individuals, including three men and a woman, aged from 19 to 35, were arrested in Iskandar Puteri on Jan 21.
"The four suspects are not related to any of the victims but knew one of the missing adults whom they used to do drugs with.
"All four suspects have prior criminal records and three tested positive for methamphetamine," he said.
Comm Ab Rahaman said that investigation papers had been referred to the Johor Deputy Public Prosecutor's Office, and two male suspects will be charged at the Johor Baru Magistrate's Court on Wednesday (Feb 4) under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
"The other two suspects have been released on police bail and will be called as witnesses during the trial," he added.
