Bio

Verry Idham Henyansyah was born on February 1, 1978, in Jombang, East Java, Indonesia. He later became known nationally by the nickname “Ryan” or “Ryan Jombang.” Before his arrest, he was reported to have worked as a Qur’an recital teacher and later as a male model. His case drew national attention in Indonesia not only because of the number of victims, but also because of the public details that emerged after his arrest, including his jailhouse autobiography and planned pop album. Reuters reported that, while in custody, Henyansyah published Confessions: The Untold Stories of Ryan and planned to release a pop album.

Henyansyah was openly reported as gay, and this became a major part of media coverage in Indonesia and abroad. He told reporters that many of the conflicts behind the killings involved jealousy, unwanted sexual advances, or offers of money or gifts connected to his romantic partner. These statements came from Henyansyah and media interviews, so they should be treated as his own explanation rather than a full legal finding for every murder.

Before the serial murders were publicly uncovered, Henyansyah had lived with access to his family home in Jombang, where many of the victims were later found buried. Police discovered the broader pattern of killings only after investigating the mutilation death of Heri Santoso in Jakarta. That case led investigators back to Henyansyah and then to the backyard graves at his family home in Jatiwates village, East Java. Reuters reported that police later dug up 10 additional bodies there, including a woman and her three-year-old daughter.

After his arrest, Henyansyah’s public image became unusually visible for a convicted serial killer. Reports described him singing in custody, discussing an album, and releasing or promoting an autobiography. These details contributed to his nickname as the “singing serial killer.” ABC News reported that prosecutors sought the death sentence while Henyansyah was also planning to release a pop album, and Reuters reported that his book and album plans became part of the public attention surrounding the case.

Murder Story

The case began to unravel in July 2008 after dismembered body parts were found in South Jakarta. Detik reported that seven body parts were discovered in a vacant area on Jalan Kebagusan Raya, South Jakarta, on July 12, 2008, and that one of the parts found was the victim’s head. Investigators identified the victim as Heri Santoso. Police later determined that Henyansyah had killed Heri at the Margonda Garden Residence apartment in Depok, West Java.

The Heri Santoso murder became the first case to go to trial. Prosecutors alleged that Henyansyah had prepared weapons before inviting Heri to the apartment. Reuters reported that the Depok court found Henyansyah guilty of premeditated murder on April 6, 2009, and sentenced him to death. The court cited the nature of the killing and stated that Henyansyah had shown no respect for human life or remorse.

According to ABC News, prosecutors said Heri Santoso was stabbed and bludgeoned before his body was dismembered in July 2008. The prosecution argued that the killing was linked to jealousy after Santoso allegedly offered money and a car in exchange for sex with Henyansyah’s boyfriend. Prosecutor Budi Hartawan Panjaitan told the court that Henyansyah was fully aware of his actions and was not hallucinating when he committed the murder.

After Santoso’s body was identified, investigators linked Henyansyah to 10 more victims. These victims were found buried behind his family home in Jombang, East Java. Reuters reported that the buried victims included a woman and her three-year-old daughter. Detik later listed the buried victims as Grady, Vincentius Yudhy Priyono, Grendy, Guruh Setyo Pramono, Agustinus F. Setiawan, Nanik Hidayati, Sylvia Ramadani Putri, Aril Somba Sitanggang, Muhammad Akhsoni, and Zaenal Abidin.

The known victims included both men and women, as well as a child. Sylvia Ramadani Putri, age 3, was identified as the daughter of Nanik Hidayati. Indonesian reports state that the mother and child were among the bodies found in Jombang. The exact dates of each individual killing were not all clearly verified in the accessible sources, but the full series was reported as taking place between 2006 and 2008.

Henyansyah confessed to killing 11 people, but the Heri Santoso murder was the case that resulted in the death sentence. Reports stated that most of the other victims were killed with blows from a metal bar or crowbar, while Santoso was stabbed, bludgeoned, and dismembered after death. Because the accessible public sources do not provide full court records for each of the 10 Jombang victims, the safest profile wording is that Henyansyah confessed to 11 killings, was sentenced to death for the Heri Santoso murder, and was publicly linked by police and prosecutors to the 10 other bodies found behind his family home.

On July 15, 2008, police arrested Henyansyah at a house in Pesona Khayangan, Depok, West Java. His arrest followed the identification of Heri Santoso’s remains and the investigation that connected him to the apartment killing. From there, police uncovered the buried victims in East Java, expanding the case from one murder investigation into one of Indonesia’s most widely reported serial murder cases.

Henyansyah went on trial at the Depok District Court for the Heri Santoso murder. On April 6, 2009, the court convicted him and sentenced him to death. Reuters reported that the presiding judge said Henyansyah had been found guilty of premeditated murder. The Jakarta Post also reported that the Depok court convicted him and sentenced him to death for the murder of Heri Santoso.

Henyansyah appealed and pursued further legal remedies. ANTARA reported that the Indonesian Supreme Court rejected his judicial review request in July 2012, leaving the death sentence in place. The court was reported as denying his request after he argued that he should not receive the death penalty because he was a psychopath.

Henyansyah had not been executed. Detik reported in 2021 that officials said execution authority belonged to the Attorney General’s Office and that Henyansyah still had legal rights that could be pursued. ANTARA also identified him in 2021 as a death-sentenced prisoner held at Gunung Sindur Prison in Bogor, West Java.