Serial killers aren't solely an American phenomenon. There are plenty of serial killers in other countries, such as Ahmad Suradji, an Indonesian murderer. Suradji, also known as the Black Magic Killer, had a bizarre modus operandi and an insane motivation. He killed his victims in order to gain more spiritual power, as he believed he was a shaman. He was a ritual murderer and he had a very specific pattern to his kills. He believed that this ritual killing would enhance his abilities. This led to the creation of his aforementioned serial killer nickname.
Suradji was born in 1949, and started his killing spree nearly 40 years later, in 1986. Over the next 11 years, he killed upward of 40 women. He was executed by the Indonesian government in 2008.
Disturbing Facts About Ahmad Suradji, The Shaman Serial Killer,
He Drank His Victims' Saliva
Many serial killers do unsettling, ritualistic things with their victims. Ahmad Suradji's preferred methods were downright bizarre. He believed that his victims' saliva improved his shamanic powers, so he drank it after strangling them to death.
He wasn't very specific about how he drank it. Did he somehow manage to get it into a cup? Did he drink it straight from their mouths? Either way, he performed this strange ritual on every woman he killed.
He Buried His Victims Facing His House, Believing It Gave Him Extra Power
After Ahmad Suradji killed his victims and drank their saliva, he buried them in a sugarcane field near his house. While they were still alive, he placed them in the ground feet first, up to their waists. After he strangled them to death, he stripped them naked, and then buried the rest of their bodies with their heads pointed towards his house, thinking the placement would further enhance his magical powers.
One Of His Wives Was His Accomplice
Ahmad Suradji had three wives, all sisters. Although all three were questioned after the murders were discovered, only one, Tumini, was charged as his accomplice. She went on trial at the same time he did, and received life in prison for her involvement in his crimes. His other two wives apparently didn't know about his evil activities.
He Claimed To Be A Shaman
Ahmad Suradji claimed to be a type of spiritual healer called a "dutak." Technically, the Indonesian government only recognizes six different religions (including Islam and Christianity), but some people who live there also believe in magic and various healing practices. Suradji was a shaman who, people believed, could make women more beautiful and help them get rich or find a faithful boyfriend, thanks to his "magical powers."
He Was Caught When Neighbors Found A Dead Body In A Nearby Field
Ahmad Suradji's killing spree lasted from 1986 until 1997, when he was finally captured. It's possible he could have continued his sinister work, had the body of one his victims not been discovered in a local sugarcane field.
After the police identified her and local residents realized she was last seen alive on her way to Suradji for a shamanic ritual, officials searched his house. Inside, authorities found the woman's belongings, as well as those of several other missing women.
He Gave Religious Advice To His Fellow Prisoners
After entering prison, Ahmad Suradji stopped trying to be a shaman. He converted to Islam, and became very devout. In fact, he started giving religious advice to his fellow prisoners. Apparently, he was also very popular. His infamy as a serial killer led to a kind of celebrity status while he was incarcerated.
He Didn't Have To Seek Out His Victims - They Came To Him
Because of his shamanic powers, Ahmad Suradji rarely had to go out and find victims. Most of them came to him for help improving their lives. Word spread around his village – and nearby villages – of his healing powers, so women came from all over the place to receive his help.
As a part of his magical healing ritual (which, they quickly found out, was solely for his own benefit), his victims helped him by digging their own graves. He then covered the women waist-deep in dirt as part of his "cure," and then strangled them to death once they were immobilized. When Suradji went through a dry spell and didn't have any "clients" come to him, he reportedly went out and picked up prostitutes to kill in order to fulfill his quota.
He Was Executed By Firing Squad
10 years after his capture and trial in 2008, Ahmad Suradji was executed in his home country of Indonesia by firing squad. Before he died, he gave one last interview, in which he stated, "The black magic came from God. I don't have it anymore, I have repented. I hope I have a chance to live."
Suradji was one of 10 people executed that year. Indonesia enforces the death penalty for everything from terrorism to possession of narcotics. Mass murder, of course, is punished with extreme prejudice.
His Father's Ghost Instructed Him To Kill 70 Women, But He Only Made It To 42
Ahmad Suradji started his killing spree in 1986, after his father came to him in a dream with an important message. If Suradji killed 70 women, he would become even more powerful and be able to perform stronger acts of magic. He would also become a mystical healer.
However, Suradji failed at his goal, and "only" killed 42 victims. However, there might be others women still unaccounted for. After his capture, local police put word out, asking people to come forward with the names of women missing in the area. This added an additional 80 people to his list of possible victims.
He Also Bred Cattle
Most serial killers have a day job. For example, John Wayne Gacy owned a construction and maintenance business. Things were a bit different in Indonesia, where Ahmad Suradji worked as a cattle breeder. His profession required quite a bit of open land, which provided him with a place to bury his victims.