Former Police Officer's Wife Found Dead in Medan, Autopsy Reveals Gunshot Residue

A 30-year-old woman was found dead in her home in the Bumi Asri complex, Medan Helvetia District, Medan City, North Sumatra, on Sunday (2/8). She is suspected of having taken her own life by shooting herself in the head with a firearm belonging to her ex-husband, Bripda IH. The incident, believed to be a suicide, occurred around 3:00 PM WIB. According to Kombes Pol Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak, head of the Medan City Police, the victim was found inside a bathroom locked from the inside. Two witnesses, IH and their child M, were outside the bathroom. "The victim's body was found slumped against the door, which was locked from the inside. Based on the crime scene investigation, our initial conclusion is suicide," Simanjuntak stated at the Medan City Police Headquarters on Thursday (6/8). Regarding the firearm's position, Simanjuntak explained that when officers arrived at the scene, the weapon was already outside the bathroom. However, according to Bripda IH's statement, the weapon was previously in the victim's hand and was taken by IH after the incident. "We previously explained that the firearm was outside the bathroom when we arrived at the crime scene. At that time, it was last held by the witness IH, precisely in the victim's hand," he said. Further examination revealed old scars on the victim's arm. Simanjuntak clarified that these were not recent injuries and that the victim had inflicted them on herself. The police are investigating the origin of these older wounds. Head of the Forensic Laboratory Center of the North Sumatra Regional Police, Kombes Rio Nababan, added that the forensic team examined three aspects: the person, clothing, and the firearm. Swab tests were conducted on the victim and IH to detect Gunshot Residue (GSR), microscopic particles resulting from a firearm discharge. "For the husband, we declare him negative. There were no gunshot traces on his body at all. For the victim, traces were found on her right hand and around her neck," Nababan stated. The clothing worn by both the victim and IH was also examined. IH's clothing tested negative for gunshot residue. The firearm, a .38 caliber revolver, was also analyzed. The projectile found in the victim's body was matched to test shots fired from the same weapon, confirming it as the source of the fatal injury. The police are continuing their investigation, emphasizing the preliminary conclusion of suicide.