Search for Missing Boy’s Remains Intensifies After Stepfather Confesses to Murder
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The search for the remains of six-year-old Alvaro Kiano Nugroho, who went missing in March 2025, has intensified following the confession of his stepfather, Alex Iskandar, to kidnapping and murder. Police have recovered several skeletal samples near the Cilalay Bridge in Tenjo, Bogor Regency, and are awaiting DNA analysis to confirm their identity.
After an eight-month search, the tragic case took a dramatic turn when Alex Iskandar was arrested on November 21, 2025, and subsequently confessed to the crime. According to authorities, Iskandar admitted to killing Alvaro out of jealousy, suspecting his wife of infidelity. Tragically, Iskandar later died by suicide while in police custody at the South Jakarta Metro Police counseling room.
Sniffer Dogs Deployed in Search of Remains
On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, authorities resumed the search for Alvaro’s remains, deploying a Sniffer Dog Unit (K-9) to comb the area around the Cilalay Bridge. The operation, which began at 12:35 WIB, was led by the Pesanggrahan Police Chief, AKP Seala Syah Alam, and involved personnel from the South Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Inafis, the National Police’s Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Team, and the local Environmental Service.
The search area, described as overgrown with rubbish and bushes, yielded several samples that are currently undergoing analysis. “They then collected a number of samples found. It is not yet known exactly what was taken for the identification process,” a local source reported. Residents gathered at the scene to observe the ongoing investigation.
Five Skeletal Samples Recovered, DNA Testing Underway
Approximately five skeletal samples were recovered during the search, prompting cautious optimism among investigators. A forensic specialist from the Kramat Jati Police Hospital, Mahardika, stated at the scene on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, that “There are approximately five samples.” Some of the recovered fragments are believed to be part of a lower jaw, suggesting the remains belong to a child. “It is suspected that there was a lower jaw found, where the lower jaw is still small in scale so we suspect it is a child so we need to X-ray it again and coordinate with a forensic dentist,” Mahardika explained.
The samples have been transported to Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta for further examination and comparison. Authorities are awaiting the results of DNA tests to definitively determine if the remains are those of Alvaro Kiano Nugroho. According to Kombes Budi Hermanto, Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya, “For the results of the antemortem and DNA tests, because the comparison samples were only taken yesterday, we are still waiting for the process and also information from Puslabfor and the National Police Hospital, which we will convey the results to as soon as possible.”
Witness Comes Forward with Crucial Testimony
A key witness, Muhammad Reza, 46, revealed he had been aware of suspicions surrounding Alvaro’s disappearance since September 2025 but hesitated to come forward due to fear and a lack of complete information. Reza ultimately reported his concerns to the police, motivated by sympathy for the case.
“So actually, we’ve known since September. I just had the courage to report it because I was still afraid and I didn’t understand the details,” Reza stated, as reported by Between on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Reza learned of the alleged murder from N, the son of a household assistant, who in turn had heard the information from a 16-year-old nephew of Alex Iskandar. The witness’s testimony has provided investigators with a crucial piece of the puzzle as they seek to understand the full scope of the tragedy.
