Jayapura. Police suspect that 38-year-old Federika
Metelmetti, the pastor of the Bethlehem Pentecostal church in Papua’s
Boven Digoel district who was found on the street dead with a gunshot
wound, was killed by her boyfriend.
Federika and her boyfriend, a
police officer who serves with the Boven Digoel Police, were seen
fighting before her body was discovered at 4 a.m. near the Kalimanak
subprecinct police station in Boven Digoel on Wednesday.
It was believed that the boyfriend shot Federika out of jealousy because she had another lover.
Police officers have already arrested the boyfriend and named him a suspect.
Papua
Police spokesman I Gede Sumert Jaya confirmed on Thursday night that
the clergywoman had been fatally shot in Boven Digoel.
“A female pastor was shot dead and a .45 caliber bullet was found on her body,” Sumert said.
He
added that the victim sustained a gunshot wound to her right shoulder
which penetrated the back, and a broken left jaw caused by a blunt
object.
“Aside from being shot, the victim was also battered,” he said, adding that the victim was about five months pregnant.
Sumert said that investigators were still trying to determine the killer’s motive.
Federika was the pastor of the Bethlehem Pentecostal church in Boven Digoel for the last 10 years.
“The
victim was a resident of Tanah Merah,” National Police spokesman Brig.
Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said on Thursday. “Police officers investigating the
crime scene found a 45-millimeter shell casing, helmet, bag and sandals
owned by the victim.”
Boy said that the victim’s body had been taken to a hospital for an autopsy.
He added police had not yet determine d the motive of the shooting but they were questioning two witnesses.
Liputan6.com
reported on Thursday that a military commander in Merauke district
claimed that Federika had been shot by a close friend.