Husband, brother charged with murder of woman found in Bergesh Forest

AMMAN — The criminal court prosecutor on Monday charged two men with premeditated murder in connection with the killing of a 24-year-old woman in Irbid three months ago, according to official sources.

The suspects, aged 29 and 27, are the victim’s husband and brother, according to a statement released by the Public Security Department (PSD).

“The two suspects claimed family honour as the motive for the murder in front of investigators, because the victim would often leave her husband’s home without his approval,” a senior judicial source said.

A security guard found the victim’s remains in Bergesh Forest, 90km northwest of the capital, on January 13.

The woman’s body was burnt, as well as her underwear and clothes, which were lying next to her. Her body was eaten by wild animals, official sources said at the time.

A specialised investigation team was formed after the discovery of the body and its members were following up on all leads for the past three months, the PSD statement said.

“The investigation team managed to identify the woman after reviewing their missing persons’ files and comparing DNA evidence with families and individuals who filed the reports,” the judicial source said.

Investigators established that the victim was married after reviewing a missing person report that was submitted by her husband around the time her body was found and summoned him for questioning, he added.

The husband confessed in front of Criminal Court Prosecutor Qahtan Qawaqzeh that “he lured his wife with the help of her brother to the forest where he strangled her with her own scarf,” the source said.

The two men then reportedly set her body ablaze and left, according to the judicial source.

“Her husband had reported her missing before committing the murder the same day,” the judicial source added.

Qawaqzeh issued orders for the two men to be detained at a correctional and rehabilitation centre pending further investigation.