Boyfriend planned musician’s murder, ‘daughter’ tells cops

The 19-year-old woman accused of murdering her “adoptive father” Bennett Rebello on November 26, was interrogated by the crime branch on Monday. During the interrogation,

The 19-year-old woman accused of murdering her “adoptive father” Bennett Rebello on November 26, was interrogated by the crime branch on Monday. During the interrogation, she revealed that the duo had conspired the crime on November 23.

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A crime branch officer, who interrogated the woman, said the latter claimed that two months ago, her 16-year-old boyfriend learnt that Rebello was sexually exploiting her. He then kept instigating her to end the exploitation by murdering him. The officer also said that they do not suspect any property angle behind the murder.

The case came to light on December 2, after the police found a suitcase with Rebello’s left arm till the shoulder, a right leg, two pants, shirts and a sweater floating in the sea behind the Mahim Dargah. On December 7, the police arrested the woman and minor, following which the duo had confessed to the crime.

Meanwhile, late on Sunday night, the crime branch conducted a search at Rebello’s Vakola home and found a letter signed by the woman on May 22, last year, which stated that she had requested Rebello to allow her to stay at his home in February, as she did not have a place to stay. “Rebello was so kind and requested me to submit my details to the local police. He agreed that he will help [me]”, her letter read, the police said.

The police also found another note, purportedly written by the woman in a notebook after the murder. “Dad I am sorry, really sorry, I am bad girl. Kaise, Jisane Is Ghar Pe Rahane Diya Usi Ko Maine Maar Diya..Jisane Parvarish Diya Usi Ko Maar Diya [How did I kill the person who provided me shelter, and took care of my upbringing]… Sorry Sorry Sorry,” the note read.

The police said the woman came in contact with Rebello through an acquaintance, who also stayed at his home with her two-month-old child. The woman told the police that the acquaintance was also sexually abused by Rebello. “The other woman was not at home during the murder. We are trying to find her to get her statement,” the officer who interrogated the woman said.

Rebello had allegedly objected to the woman and the minor’s relationship. On November 26, the woman and Rebello had an argument at the latter’s home, after which she hit him with a bamboo stick on his head and stabbed him. The minor, who was at the spot, and the woman, then sprayed a mosquito repellent on Rebello’s face to ensure he died.

The next evening, they chopped Rebello’s body into eight pieces using four knives. The minor used to heat the knife on the gas stove on the mezzanine floor which was then used by the woman to do the chopping. However as it was difficult to saw through the bones she used a hammer to ensure that the knife sliced the body parts easily. They dumped his parts in four bags.

On November 28, the duo purchased bubble wrap and polyurethane bags to pack the parts and dumped the bags at different locations at varying intervals. They had hired an auto rickshaw to ferry the bags and the police is now on the lookout for its driver.

On November 29, the duo cleaned the house and burnt incense sticks to get rid of the odour left by the semi-decomposed body.