ROMPIN: Influenced by a romance novel he was avidly reading, a restaurant worker allegedly killed his lover's husband in Felda Keratong Dua in Muadzam Shah here on Oct 24.
The worker, 28, is believed to have an affair with the deceased's 32-year-old wife.
He was believed to plot the murder based on the novel and shot the victim with a homemade shotgun.
District police chief Deputy Superintendent Azli Mohd Noor said the novel was recovered from the man when he was arrested at the Tanjung Malim rest area of the North-South highway on Saturday.
“The suspected killer had admitted that a character in the book closely resembled him,” he told reporters today.
Azli said the love triangle may have turned sour when the victim, who was estranged from his wife, had persuaded her to return to Aceh, Indonesia.
"The victim and his wife were married for two years but had been living separately for the last two months, believed to be due to some internal issues.
"As the suspect and woman worked at the same restaurant, they are believed to have an affair
"The suspect had previously told his lover from Lombok, Indonesia, that he was prepared to do anything to get her.”
In the 12.10am incident, the 32-year-old victim - who was a car wash worker identified only as Zubir - was shot by a gunman.
Azli said Zubir was taken to Muadzam Shah Hospital and later transferred Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan, where he died about noon on Oct 25.
The victim was shot in the face and head with a shotgun.
Azli said the attacker later returned to his hometown in Bedong, Kedah.
Following the arrest, he said the suspect led the police to the shotgun - believed to be used in the incident - as well as bullet rounds and a bullet casing - hidden under oil palm pulps at Ladang Sungai Guan, Kota Bahagia here, on Saturday.
"The suspect told police he made the weapon based on an online video.
"We have also detained a second person, who is a 32-year-old friend of the main suspect, to facilitate investigations.
"The police have remanded four individuals - the victim's wife, her 48-year-old employer, and the two men - to complete our probe," he said.
Azli said the main suspect had been remanded until Friday.