Malaysian man fatally shoots lover's husband with homemade shotgun, was 'inspired' by romance novel

A Malaysian restaurant worker fatally shot the husband of a woman whom he was allegedly having an affair with, after getting influenced by a romance novel. 

The worker, 28, was believed to have devised the murder based on the novel, shooting the victim with a homemade shotgun on Oct 24, at around 12.10am.

District police chief Deputy Superintendent Azli Mohd Noor said the novel was recovered from the suspect when he was arrested at the Tanjung Malim rest area of the North-South highway on Saturday (Oct 28). 

“The suspected killer had admitted that a character in the book closely resembled him.”

The murder could have been triggered by the victim asking his estranged wife to return to Aceh, Indonesia, said Azli. 

Azli elaborated: “The victim and his wife were married for two years but had been living separately for the last two months, believed to be due to some internal issues.

"As the suspect and woman worked at the same restaurant, they are believed to have an affair.

"The suspect had previously told his lover from Lombok, Indonesia, that he was prepared to do anything to get her.”

The victim, Zubir, 32, was conveyed to Muadzam Shah Hospital and later transferred Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, Kuantan, where he later died on the afternoon of Oct 25.

He had been shot in the face and head, reports the New Straits Times. 

After committing the murder, the perpetrator escaped to his hometown in Bedong, Kedah.

The suspect led the police to a shotgun - believed to be the murder weapon, as well as bullets and a bullet casing - all stashed away under oil palm pulps at Ladang Sungai Guan, Kota Bahagia on Oct 28.

Azli added: "The suspect told police he made the weapon based on an online video.

"We have also detained a second person, who is a 32-year-old friend of the main suspect, to facilitate investigations.

"The police have remanded four individuals - the victim's wife, her 48-year-old employer, and the two men - to complete our probe.”