The police in West Lombok have solved the high-profile case of the disappearance of Spanish tourist Maria Matilde Muñoz Cazorla, aged 73. She arrived in Lombok on June 13, 2025, and checked into the Bumi Aditya Hotel in the Senggigi area. She was last seen on July 1 and was subsequently reported missing. It was later revealed that she was murdered in her hotel room on July 2.
Two suspects, SU (34) and HR (30), a current and a former hotel employee, were arrested and confessed to the crime. They claimed they prepared a towel in advance, entered the room through a side window, strangled the victim, and hid her in the generator room. A few days later, as decomposition started, they moved the body behind the hotel and then to a vacant lot. On August 24, they buried the remains in a shallow grave by the shore in the village of Loko.
The police traced the suspects after they found evidence—Maria's mobile phone and bag discarded at a landfill. Inside were her personal belongings and medication. However, her passport, bank cards, and wallet were missing. These findings allowed the investigation to link the crime to the hotel staff.
According to Spanish media, another hotel employee, the accountant, might be implicated in the case. Friends of the deceased claim he might have been aware of the events and helped to conceal the crime. However, official charges have only been pressed against SU and HR.
Both suspects are charged under Article 340 of the Indonesian Penal Code (premeditated murder) or Article 338 (murder) in combination with Article 365 Paragraph 4 (violent robbery resulting in death). The maximum penalty is the death penalty. They are currently in custody, and the tourist's remains are undergoing examination at the Bhayangkara Police Hospital in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
Sources: thebalitimes, elpais
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