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Nearly five decades later, the death of former Miss Malaysia runner-up Jean Perera Sinnappa remains one of the country's most haunting unsolved mysteries
Jean Perera, a widow with three children, was found dead in 1979, with some reports stating she had been stabbed 10 times.
The gruesome attack left the car she was in splattered with blood.
A man, Karthigesu Sivapakiam, her brother-in-law and lover, was with her that night but was found unconscious beside their white Fiat 125.
They were discovered by two Malaysia Airlines aircraft engineers driving home after completing their shift at Subang International Airport, as they passed a secluded underpass about 5km away.
Karthigesu was rushed to a nearby hospital, while Jean Perera was pronounced dead.
He later told police they were heading home after hanging out and had stopped by the roadside for him to relieve himself when he was suddenly attacked by a group of men.
Medical examinations, however, raised doubts about his account, as there were no visible injuries or signs of head trauma
A police search of their home uncovered a bundle of love letters allegedly exchanged between Jean Perera and a Sri Lankan doctor, Narada Warnasurya.
This led investigators to suspect she may have been killed after her affair was exposed.
About 20 days later, Karthigesu was arrested and charged with murder on May 9, 1979.
Although he denied knowledge of the affair, an eyewitness, Bandhulanda Jayathilake, a relative of Jean Perera and friend of Karthigesu, testified that Karthigesu had allegedly told him, "…that b***h did not deserve to live."
The defence countered that if Karthigesu had committed the crime, there would have been blood traces on him, especially given the extent of blood spatter inside the car.
They also argued it would have been impossible for him to kill Jean Perera and clean himself at a nearby pond within the 17 minutes before the body was discovered.
Bloodstain patterns inside the car became a crucial point of analysis
Police reportedly found blood on the windscreen, the passenger door, and the passenger-side floorboard, but none on the driver's side.
Dr Krishnan Ramanathan, the pathologist assigned to the case, theorised that the attacker was behind the victim, pulled her backwards, and stabbed her with his left hand, explaining the windscreen spatter, before going to a nearby pond to wash off any traces.
On August 1, 1980, the court found Karthigesu guilty of murder and sentenced him to death.
However, while awaiting his appeal, a dramatic twist emerged
Bandhulanda confessed that he had lied under oath and falsely implicated Karthigesu, claiming he had been pressured by several people, including Jean Perera's grieving family — an allegation the family later denied.
On May 31, 1981, the Federal Court allowed Karthigesu's appeal and granted a full acquittal, citing insufficient evidence linking him to the murder.
Karthigesu later rebuilt his life in Klang, where he lived until his death in 2023.
Bandhulanda, meanwhile, became the first person in Malaysia convicted of perjury and was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment.
He died after serving only two years.
