In a horrifying case that has left the Workady community shaken, Melwin Montero, a daily wage labourer, has confessed to murdering his mother, Hilda Montero (59), over long-standing tensions related to money and property. The incident took place at Nallengi, Workady, and was followed by an attempted second murder and a failed cover-up attempt.
According to police reports, Melwin had been pressuring his mother to transfer property and give him money for marriage. When she repeatedly refused, his aggression escalated—fuelled by frequent bouts of alcohol abuse. On Thursday morning, an intoxicated Melwin allegedly bludgeoned Hilda with a wooden plank, and when she lost consciousness, strangled her to death.
He then attempted to destroy evidence by dragging her body outside, piling plastic, firewood, and clothes over it, and setting it on fire. But his violent spree didn’t stop there.
Melwin later summoned Lolita, a neighbour he suspected of influencing his mother against giving him money. He allegedly tried to set Lolita on fire, but she managed to escape with 40% burn injuries and is currently under treatment in a private hospital in Mangaluru.
After fleeing the crime scene, Melwin hid near a quarry in Byndoor, where he was tracked down and arrested by police using mobile phone surveillance.
Following a post-mortem at Kannur Government Medical College Hospital, Hilda’s body was handed over to her family and her funeral was held at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Workady. Melwin has now been remanded to judicial custody by a Kasargod court.