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Murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa

SOLVED2006Forested area near the Subang Dam, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
RMP UTK Officers 56th NDP
RMP UTK Officers 56th NDP — Credit: Rizuan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, a Mongolian national who worked as a translator, was killed on 18 October 2006 in a deserted area in Shah Alam, Malaysia. According to the investigation, she was shot before explosives were used on her remains, although it was later suggested that the explosives may have caused her death. Bone fragments recovered from forested land near the Subang Dam were identified as hers through DNA testing.

Altantuyaa was born in 1978 and spent part of her early childhood in the Soviet Union before returning to Mongolia in 1990. She married twice, had two children who were cared for by her parents, and travelled frequently for work to countries including China, Singapore and Malaysia. The case became prominent in Malaysian politics because of alleged links between the victim and individuals connected to a senior government figure. Those allegations were publicly denied and did not lead to criminal charges on that question; several people who made or repeated such claims later retracted them or became involved in separate legal disputes.

Altantuyaa's disappearance was reported on 19 October 2006 by her cousin, who also contacted the Mongolian embassy. Malaysian police arrested two members of an elite police unit, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, and charged them with the murder; Abdul Razak Baginda was charged with abetting it.

The High Court acquitted Baginda on 31 October 2008 and, on 9 April 2009, sentenced Azilah and Sirul to death after a 159-day trial. The Court of Appeal acquitted the two officers on 23 August 2013, but on 13 January 2015 the Federal Court overturned that decision, found both men guilty and reinstated the death sentence. Sirul did not appear for the ruling and was detained by Australian immigration authorities in Brisbane on 20 January 2015; Australian law prevented his extradition to face a death sentence.

Legal proceedings continued for years. On 11 July 2024 the High Court ordered the two convicted officers, Baginda and the Malaysian government to pay damages to Altantuyaa's family in a civil suit. On 10 October 2024, following Malaysia's repeal of the mandatory death penalty in April 2023, the Federal Court commuted Azilah Hadri's death sentence to 40 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane. Altantuyaa's father has continued to press for further investigation into the motive for the killing.

Key facts

Victims
Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa
Date
2006
Location
Forested area near the Subang Dam, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1978-05-06

    Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa is born.

  2. 2006-10-18

    Altantuyaa is killed in a deserted area near Shah Alam, Malaysia.

  3. 2006-10-19

    Her disappearance is reported and a police report is lodged.

  4. 2008-10-31

    The High Court acquits Abdul Razak Baginda of abetting the murder.

  5. 2009-04-09

    The High Court sentences Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar to death, concluding a 159-day trial.

  6. 2013-08-23

    The Court of Appeal acquits Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar.

  7. 2015-01-13

    The Federal Court overturns the acquittal, finds both men guilty of murder and reinstates the death sentence.

  8. 2015-01-20

    Sirul Azhar Umar is detained by Australian immigration authorities in Brisbane.

  9. 2020-12-08

    The Federal Court dismisses Azilah Hadri's application for a re-trial and review of his conviction.

  10. 2023-04

    Malaysia repeals the mandatory death penalty.

  11. 2024-07-11

    The High Court orders the civil defendants to pay damages to Altantuyaa's family.

  12. 2024-10-10

    The Federal Court commutes Azilah Hadri's death sentence to 40 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane.

Best coverage

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People

  • Sirul Azhar Umar

    CONVICTED

    Former police corporal found guilty of murder by the Federal Court on 13 January 2015; he left Malaysia for Australia before the ruling and was detained by Australian immigration authorities.

  • Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa

    VICTIM

    Mongolian national and translator killed on 18 October 2006 in a deserted area near Shah Alam, Malaysia; identified through DNA testing of recovered remains.

  • Azilah Hadri

    CONVICTED

    Former police chief inspector found guilty of murder by the Federal Court on 13 January 2015; his death sentence was commuted to 40 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane on 10 October 2024.

  • Abdul Razak Baginda

    ACQUITTED

    Defence analyst charged with abetting the murder; acquitted by the High Court on 31 October 2008.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • RMP UTK Officers 56th NDP

    archival location

    RMP UTK Officers 56th NDP

    Credit: Rizuan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source

Places

Forested area near the Subang Dam, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

3.0731, 101.5325

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa, a Mongolian translator, was killed near Shah Alam, Malaysia, in 2006, and two former police officers were later convicted of her murder.
Where did the murder happen?
Forested area near the Subang Dam, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Who was convicted?
Sirul Azhar Umar (Former police corporal found guilty of murder by the Federal Court on 13 January 2015; he left Malaysia for Australia before the ruling and was detained by Australian immigration authorities.) and Azilah Hadri (Former police chief inspector found guilty of murder by the Federal Court on 13 January 2015; his death sentence was commuted to 40 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane on 10 October 2024.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Malaysia

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Shaariibuugiin AltantuyaaWikipedia · 2026-07-05
  2. PRESSThe Guardian: contemporaneous coverage of the Altantuyaa Shaariibuu murder caseThe Guardian · 2026-07-05
  3. PRESSThe Sydney Morning Herald: contemporaneous coverage of the Altantuyaa Shaariibuu murder caseThe Sydney Morning Herald · 2026-07-05

Record history

First published
JUL 06, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 06, 2026