Bantwal: Three get life term for murdering elderly woman, robbing gold jewellery

Bantwal: Three get life term for murdering elderly woman, robbing gold jewellery

Mangalore Today News Network

Bantwal, Jul 29, 2026: A court in Mangaluru has sentenced three persons to life imprisonment for the 2021 murder of an elderly woman in Ammunje village of Bantwal taluk. The accused poisoned the victim, suffocated her to death, robbed her gold jewellery, and attempted to destroy evidence.

The Second Additional District and Sessions (Special) Court, Mangaluru, convicted Wilma Prastita Barreto (30) of Ammadi Heera, Satish (33) of Antar House, Narikombu, and Charan Kumar (34) of Padakatte Hoyigebailu, Narikombu, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.

The victim, Benedicta Carlo (80), lived with her husband Inas Carlo at Pandili in Ammunje. Inas, who was bedridden after suffering a stroke, was being cared for by Wilma, who had been working at the couple’s home for nearly two months.

During her employment, Wilma noticed that Benedicta possessed gold jewellery and allegedly conspired to steal it. She informed her acquaintance Satish, who suggested poisoning the elderly woman by mixing poison with her food.

Following the plan, Wilma allegedly served poisoned food to Benedicta on the night of January 25, 2021. When the victim was left in a semi-conscious state but did not die, Wilma contacted Satish again. He then sent Charan Kumar to the house, where he and Wilma allegedly suffocated Benedicta using a pillow and blanket.

After the murder, the trio fled with 61.070 grams of gold jewellery—including a black-bead gold chain, earrings, bangles, rings, and a chain—worth about ₹2.75 lakh.

Initially, Bantwal Rural Police registered the case as a suspicious death. However, during the investigation, police uncovered evidence indicating it was a premeditated murder committed for robbery, following which a murder case was registered.

During the trial, the court examined 32 of the 44 listed witnesses before convicting all three accused.

The court also imposed a total fine of ₹33,000 on the convicts. Of this, ₹8,000 will be deposited with the government, while ₹25,000 will be paid as compensation to the victim’s son, Ronald Carlo.

The chargesheet was filed by then Bantwal Police Inspector T.D. Nagaraj, while Special Public Prosecutor Jyothi Pramod Nayak successfully argued the case, leading to the conviction and sentencing of the accused.