A 24-year-old Indonesian national working in Armenia was found dead in his company dormitory room with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape, according to his family, who believe he was murdered days after refusing to take part in an alleged embezzlement scheme, and after becoming aware of the plan himself.
Valenth A. Tambuto, originally from Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, was working as an IT consultant in Yerevan, Armenia, when he died. His family received the news on the evening of Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
“Yes, that’s correct, my brother passed away in Armenia. He worked there in IT, at a consulting firm,” his brother, Arnold Tambuto, told reporters on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The Last Contact
Arnold said he last communicated with his brother via Telegram at 1:00am Sulawesi time on Wednesday, July 15, corresponding to Tuesday night in Armenia. After that, messages went unanswered.
“I was still messaging my brother on Telegram. In the morning I messaged and he was inactive, in the afternoon I messaged again and he was still inactive. I thought it was because it was his rest day,” Arnold said.
Suspicion grew after Valenth’s girlfriend, based in the Philippines, was unable to reach him throughout the day. She asked one of his colleagues to check his dormitory room.
“His girlfriend asked [his office colleague] to check his room because they usually communicated almost every hour. When they checked, they said there was someone under a blanket as if sleeping. When they opened it, he was already dead,” Arnold said.
“After that, they searched for the family’s information, and through a friend now based in Manado, his girlfriend passed the information along to our uncle,” he added.
How He Was Found
Arnold said he received information that his brother’s body was discovered in disturbing condition, with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape, and a significant amount of blood at the scene.
“They said the body was found bound with tape. The feet, hands, and mouth were taped. I was in shock, I turned off my phone and didn’t hear much after that, but from what I heard, when they opened it up, there was a lot of blood,” Arnold said.
A Habit of Lending Money to Colleagues
Arnold said the family has received several pieces of information pointing toward a possible motive behind his brother’s death, though he stressed this information came from people close to the victim, not official sources.
“There’s a lot of information suggesting murder. We got this from several close relatives and from his girlfriend herself,” he said.
According to Arnold, one alleged motive relates to Valenth’s habit of lending money to coworkers, money that had reportedly been lent to those now suspected in his death. “They said, first, Valenth was too kind because he liked lending money to his friends. And that money was lent to the perpetrators. There’s chat evidence of that,” he said.
Refusing to Join an Alleged Embezzlement Plan
The family also received information suggesting Valenth had been approached by colleagues about an alleged plan to embezzle company funds, but that he refused to participate.
“Second, Valenth was invited by them [the alleged perpetrators] to join a plan to embezzle company money, but Valenth refused,” Arnold said.
According to what Arnold was told, Valenth was believed to be aware of the plan, raising fear among those involved that he might report it to company management. Combined with outstanding debts owed to him, this is believed to have led to a plan to kill him.
“Maybe because they were worried Valenth would eventually leak it to their boss, so they thought about eliminating him. It happened that they also owed him money, so it would settle everything at once. That’s the story I heard,” he said.
Arnold emphasized, however, that the family has not yet received official information from Armenian law enforcement regarding the motive or those responsible for his brother’s death. “We haven’t received the official report yet. This is just from friends who worked at the same company, his office colleagues, including Tati, his girlfriend. Everyone’s account has been consistent,” he said.
The family is coordinating with the Indonesian Embassy to obtain further information regarding the condition of the body and the process of repatriating it to Indonesia. They hope his remains can be returned to his hometown in Moncongloe District, Maros Regency, as soon as possible.
Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry Sends Diplomatic Note
Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a diplomatic note to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, July 18. Heni Hamidah, Director for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry, said the note was intended to secure consular access for handling the victim’s remains.
“To ensure the consular rights of Indonesian citizens are fulfilled, on July 18, 2026, the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv submitted a Diplomatic Note to Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Heni said, as reported by detikNews on Monday, July 20.
Beyond handling the remains, the Ministry is also seeking access to meet with an Indonesian national currently undergoing legal proceedings in connection with the case, and has followed up with local authorities on the case’s handling.
“Through the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has taken action and coordinated intensively with Armenian authorities regarding the handling of the death of an Indonesian citizen in Yerevan, Armenia, who is believed to be a victim of murder on July 15, 2026,” Heni said.
Heni explained that the Ministry first received information on July 16, after which the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv coordinated with Indonesia’s Honorary Consul in Yerevan, Armenian law enforcement, and the local Indonesian community to verify the information. The embassy has also worked to identify those involved and obtain updates on the investigation.
Several Indonesian Nationals Detained
Based on initial information from Armenian authorities, both the victim and the individuals suspected of involvement are Indonesian nationals. Several Indonesians have been taken into custody for investigative purposes.
The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv is coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies in Indonesia to verify the victim’s data and follow up on information received, including communications from individuals claiming to be family members of one of the Indonesian nationals currently in Armenian custody.
“The Embassy in Kyiv will continue to follow developments in the case, coordinate with local authorities, and provide consular assistance in accordance with Armenian law,” Heni said.
What We Know So Far
- Valenth A. Tambuto, 24, an Indonesian IT consultant based in Yerevan, Armenia, was found dead in his company dormitory on July 15, 2026, with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape.
- His family believes he was murdered, allegedly linked to his refusal to join a company embezzlement scheme and money he had lent to colleagues.
- Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry sent a diplomatic note to Armenia on July 18 to secure consular access for handling his remains.
- Several Indonesian nationals have been taken into custody by Armenian authorities in connection with the case.
- The family has not yet received an official cause-of-death or motive determination from Armenian law enforcement.
Authorities in Armenia have not publicly confirmed a motive or filed formal charges. This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
