Malang. A man in the East Java town of Malang has admitted to killing and mutilating his wife over a domestic issue.

James Lodwyk Tomatala, also known as Jimmy, 61, heartlessly mutilated the body of his wife, Ni Made Sutarini, 55, into several parts. The incident took place at the couple's residence on Serayu Street in Bunulrejo Village, Blimbing District, Malang City, on Saturday morning.

The Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit at Malang City Police, Commissioner Danang Yudanto, revealed that the mutilation incident came to light after Jimmy surrendered himself to the Blimbing District Police on Sunday. 

"The victim was found in a dismembered condition," said Danang on Sunday.

According to Danang, a day before the incident, neighbors heard a commotion at the couple's house. "Neighbors heard a quarrel, and shortly afterward, there were no signs of life inside," he explained.

The Chief of Criminal Investigation suspects that the motive behind the murder is related to domestic issues. "The victim had not been home for a long time, and yesterday she returned to Malang, leading to an argument," Danang said.

The police are still investigating the murder case. Meanwhile, the victim's body has been taken to the Syaiful Anwar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

"For the autopsy, we are still waiting for the approval of the victim's child who is in Bali. We have contacted them, and the victim's child has already departed from Bali to Malang," he said.

The victim's body was severed into several parts, including the head, torso, both hands (right and left), and both legs (right and left).

Meanwhile, the suspect has been placed in detention at the Malang City Police.

Endang Lestari, a neighbor, said Jimmy is a retired employee of the state-owned electricity company PLN. Before the residents learned about the murder, the suspect and the victim were involved in an argument on Friday night around 8:00 p.m. Residents even heard the victim screaming for help.

"After that, at 9:00 p.m., we no longer heard the argument. We thought it was a usual quarrel, but little did we know it would lead to murder," Endang said.