Making the news: Karthigesu shaking hands with the prison guards moments before his release from Pudu Jail in this file picture dated May 30, 1981.
KLANG: Former psychology lecturer S. Karthigesu, who was acquitted of the brutal murder of beauty queen Jean Perera Sinnappa some 44 years ago, has passed away at the age of 81.
He breathed his last at his home in Teluk Pulai here at about 8.40am yesterday following a short illness.
It is learnt that he suffered from a heart ailment and had dementia.
A family friend said Karthigesu’s health deteriorated recently and that he was warded in a private hospital for several days before being discharged.
He leaves behind his wife, two daughters and a son.
Close friend and neighbour Serjeet Singh said Karthigesu was a soft-spoken man, had a great sense of humour, and went the extra mile to help his friends.
“He was my mentor. I often sought his views on matters related to sports especially hockey and rugby.
“He would motivate the young and had good psychological skills. It is because of his constant motivation that my daughter became a doctor. I will really miss him,” said the former international hockey umpire.
Met at their home, Karthigesu’s family members declined to be interviewed and requested privacy.
It is learnt that after being acquitted of the murder of Sinnappa, he returned to teaching at a college in Kuala Selangor and other higher learning institutions until his retirement about six years ago.
The gruesome murder of Sinnappa on April 6, 1979, was shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
It continued to stir interest for decades and even had documentaries made by local and foreign news sources.
Karthigesu was the brother-in-law of Sinnappa, a 31-year-old woman from Negri Sembilan, who was a familiar face in beauty pageants at that time.
The mother of three was widowed at a young age after her chemist husband – Karthigesu’s brother – was killed in a road accident in Petaling Jaya.
Sinnappa, who was with him during the incident, escaped with light injuries.
Soon after losing her husband, she and her children moved in with her mother-in-law in Klang.
Not long after that, Karthigesu, then a 37-year-old bachelor living under the same roof, began courting Sinnappa but things took a sinister twist four months later.
On the fateful day, Karthigesu left home with Sinnappa before motorists later found him lying next to his car in a disorientated state on the Federal Highway near the Subang Airport interchange.
Motorists were stunned to find Sinnappa dead with multiple stab wounds on her chest in the front seat of the car.
Karthigesu claimed he had pulled over to ease himself but was beaten up and fell unconscious.
His claims did not go down well with the police and Karthigesu was later charged with her murder.
The murder trial went on for more than a month with close to 60 witnesses testifying at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Karthigesu was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to death.
However, two months later, he was freed after a key witness in the case was found to have committed perjury for giving false testimony.
