The identity of the body found inside a suitcase in a drain in Madhavaram on Thursday has been established. The killer too has been found.
The Madhavaram police said the victim is 70-year-old Maxwell Williams, a retired Chennai Port Trust employee. He was murdered by his grand-nephew for questioning him about taking drugs frequently, the police said.
Williams stayed with his sister Sheril in SRP Colony, Periyar Nagar, Peravallur.
“Williams had caught Sheril’s grandson Michael Jerome Bosco (25) taking drugs at home on a number of occasions, and warned him against it. This had enraged the youth who then plotted to kill the elderly man,” said R. Dhinakaran, joint commissioner of police (north).
On Monday morning, Bosco accompanied Williams to a bank in Mannady, where the victim withdrew a sum of Rs. 80,000.
“After reaching home at noon, Bosco gagged Williams and then strangled him using a nylon rope. He carried the body to a room on the first floor and kept it there for two days. He lit incense sticks to camouflage the stench of the decomposing body. He also pocketed Williams’ money,” said Dhinakaran.
On Thursday, Michael packed the body in a large suitcase, transported it on his father’s motorcycle and dumped it in Madhavaram.
Police investigators were able to establish Williams’ identity with the help of his wristwatch that had the Chennai Port Trust logo on it. Bosco was apprehended on Saturday morning.
