KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Police believe that they have made significant progress in the murder case of an interior designer, who was brutally stabbed 20 times in an apartment unit, at Persiaran Meranti, Bandar Sri Damansara, following the early morning arrest of three men.

Petaling Jaya district deputy police chief Supt M Hussin Sollehuddin Zolkifly said that acting on intelligence, police conducted a raid on an apartment at 3 am, resulting in the arrest of three suspects, aged between 50 and 61.

"The three suspects are housemates, and the police’s initial investigation found that one of them is believed to be involved in the murder of the 36-year-old victim.

"The suspects, who did not know the victim, reportedly broke into the interior designer’s house to commit robbery, only to encounter him returning at that moment.

"This unexpected confrontation led to a struggle, during which the victim was fatally stabbed,” he explained, in a statement.

All three suspects, who have a combined total of nine criminal records and 14 drug-related cases, have been remanded for six days by the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court, until Thursday, to assist with the investigation, under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

On Monday, the body of the interior designer was discovered in his apartment unit in Bandar Sri Damansara, bearing 20 stab wounds across his body, including his hands and head. — Bernama