A 35-year-old man from San Francisco has been detained in Indonesia following an alleged beheading incident involving his father-in-law, on Sunday, September 24, in Banjar City, West Java.
The accused, Arthur Leigh Welohr, had reportedly been in a business collaboration with his father-in-law, Agus Sopiyan, 58. Tensions between them allegedly escalated as the business faced challenges. Locals heard the two engaged in a dispute near Welohr’s home but at first considered it a non-threatening interaction.
The situation took a grave turn when Welohr allegedly attacked Sopiyan with a knife. Video from the scene depicted the aftermath, revealing severe injuries to Sopiyan. Locals managed to detain Welohr and informed the police, who arrested him.
Sopiyan’s beheaded body was later found behind his house.
Rizal, a community member, shared that the altercation unfolded rapidly, making intervention challenging. “Many believed it was a routine disagreement,” he noted.
Banjar Police’s Adjunct Inspector, Nandi Darmawan commented on the investigation’s progression, stating that the details will be made public once concluded.
Ali Jupri from Banjar Police mentioned that the accused felt his father-in-law was adversely influencing his marital relationship and purportedly felt under threat, leading to the argument. He also had previous confrontations with Sopiyan and had allegedly vandalized his house.
Local reports indicate that Welohr faces charges under Article 338 of Indonesia’s Penal Code, which mandates a maximum of 15 years imprisonment for manslaughter.
In 2015, Welohr had a prior incident in San Francisco involving an alleged sword attack on two people. He faced attempted murder charges, but the resolution of that case remains unspecified.
