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December 15, 1999.
Banjarmasin, Indonesia. A string of brutal murders continue today, despite the arrest of the police's prime suspect. Authorities have begun to fear how wide spread this brutality may spread. The current suspicions place the blame on a religious cult. Police conducting similar murder investigations in Samarinda and Pontlanak have begun to compare findings to determine a possible connection.
Sahid Kusuma was arrested yesterday in his apartment. Police found body parts which they claim match parts missing from some of the victims. Also, instruments of torture were discovered which are reported to match the death wounds of a majority of the victims.
However, last night, another victim was found, bringing the total of murders linked to this case to 37 in the past three months. The body was missing appendages and organs, in a similar style attributed to Kusuma. However, the murder is reported to have occured while Kusuma was imprisoned. The police commissioner has said that they "have more than enough evidence to prove Kusuma committed at least a dozen of these murders. However, in light of recent events, it appears that he has accomplices" that they previously didn't account for. 18 of the 37 victims are being directly linked to Kusuma at this time.
Kusuma did not deny the murder charges, and he hinted that there may be others assisting him. Shortly after his arrest he said "the dark lord will come and cleanse this land. We will supply with him souls so that he may arrive soon and safely." Although he continues to deny being a part of an organization, he says "preparations will not stop with my imprisonment or death."
It is not known if there is an organized cult behind these continuing tragedies or if it a string of coincidences. The government has issued recommendations that citizens don't venture out alone or at night unless it is an emergency.