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On the Previous Day of Her Month’s Wedding Anniversary, She Was Abducted, Raped, and Murdered.
Rita John’s murder also known as the Crow Island Murder
Some areas of Colombo, Sri Lanka, are a kingdom of crows. There is even an island named after them in Colombo: Crow Island.
Crow Island is separated from the mainland by a two-kilometer canal that connects the Kelani River to the Indian Ocean. This island village is home to a multi-ethnic and religiously mixed population.
Today, Crow Island is a place where the whole family can come together and enjoy the beach and the surrounding environment. Crow Island also has a recreational beach park. Many tourists and locals flock to this island.
Unlike today, the environment on this so-called Crow Island was different in 1998. The eastern side of the island was a dense mangrove forest. It was a perfect place to commit a crime without anyone seeing it.
It happened to a newlywed woman who was jogging with her beloved husband.
Jude Manoharan and Rita John
Jude Manoharan was a Sri Lankan marine mechanical engineer. In 1998, his ship sailed to Bombay, India, and was docked there for several days. During that time, Jude attended Sunday Mass at St. Michael’s Church in Bombay.
There he met a pretty young lady named Rita John. She was an Indian woman born in Bombay. They fell in love, and soon they decided to get married and take their relationship to the next level.
Accordingly, their wedding took place at St. Michael’s Church in Bombay on September 12, 1998.
After spending a few days in India, they returned to Sri Lanka on September 20, 1998. Jude’s father was a retired police superintendent. His home was on Crow Island. Jude and Rita lived there.
On That Fateful Day
On October 11, 1998, at about 6:15 p.m., Jude and Rita went for a walk along the beach. They sat on the beach and watched the sunset for 10 or 15 minutes, then started back home.
On the way home, they met four men coming towards them. As they passed each other, they followed one behind the…
