Pakistani charged with pastor's murder

14 June 2013

AMPANG: A Pakistani security guard was charged at the magistrate's court, here, with the murder of an American pastor last month.

The accused, identified by a single name of Shahbaz, and four others who are still at large, are alleged to have murdered David James Ginter, 62, at his home in Taman Sri Ukay between 5.30pm on May 3 and 10.45am on May 4.

Shahbaz and Ginter knew each other.

The accused said he understood the charge when it was read to him in English. No plea was taken.

Shahbaz was also charged with overstaying in Malaysia for 49 days, to which he pleaded guilty.

The accused pleaded for leniency but deputy public prosecutor Purnima Selvarajah asked the court to impose an appropriate sentence.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman sentenced him to three months' jail for overstaying and fixed July 18 for mention of the murder charge.

Ginter was found dead in the living room of his double-storey house in Taman Sri Ukay on May 4, with his hands and feet bound and a cable of a phone charger tied around his neck.

His dog had been locked in one of the rooms on the ground floor and it was not certain whether anything had been stolen.

A neighbour found the body after the victim's wife, Sheryl, who was then in Australia, asked her to check on her husband as he was not answering her calls.

A post-mortem revealed that he had bruises and scratches on his face, neck, body and legs, as well as several broken ribs.

His car was also reported missing.

Ginter had been attached to the Bridge International Church in Jalan Ampang for three years.

7 held over US pastor's murder

30 May 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: SEVEN men were arrested by police in   Ampang yesterday to facilitate investigations into the murder of American pastor David James Ginter.

Acting Selangor police chief Datuk A. Thaiveegan said the suspects, aged between 20 and 30, were members of the victim's congregation.

Ginter was found dead at his house in Taman Sri Ukay on May 4.

Thaiveegan declined to elaborate on the arrests, saying police needed time to question the suspects and that it was too early to jump to any conclusions regarding the motive of Ginter's death.

"Give us time to investigate the case, as we cannot disclose information on our findings. It is too early to say how many were involved in the victim's death."

Ginter's body was found by his neighbour, Fiona Emilia Parere, in the living room of his double-storey house. His hands and feet had been bound and the cable of a phone charger was wrapped around his neck.

Parere had been asked by Ginter's wife, Sheryl, to check in on him after repeated attempts to contact him had failed. At the time of the incident, Sheryl was in Australia.

A post-mortem revealed that he had bruises and scratches on his face, neck, body and legs and several broken ribs. His cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.

His Toyota Avanza, registration plate WRS 4390, was reported missing when his body was found.

His wife has returned to Malaysia to help police in their investigations.

The couple have two adopted children, who have returned to Malaysia. Ginter had been attached to the Bridge International Church in Jalan Ampang for three years.

He was seen as an inspirational figure to many in his congregation, not only in Malaysia but also abroad, where he had served as a pastor prior to moving here.

Police investigations revealed no signs of struggle or forced entry into the house. Ginter's dog had been locked in one of the rooms on the ground floor and it was not certain whether anything had been stolen.