Koodathayi case: Roy Thomas died of cyanide ingestion, not heart attack

KOZHIKODE: Experts confirmed the death of Roy Thomas in Koodathayi to have been caused by cyanide ingestion. Dr. K. Prasannan, a former forensic surgeon at Kozhikode Medical College, testified in court that Roy Thomas died of cyanide ingestion. The postmortem report and the chemical test report also stated the same.

Accused Jolly Joseph testified that Roy Thomas died of a heart attack. Dr. Prasannan was examined due to the death of the forensic surgeon R. Sonu, who conducted Roy Thomas's post-mortem. Dr. Prasannan is the 123rd witness in the case.

Jolly allegedly murdered six members of the same family in Koodathayi from 2002 to 2016. Ret. Education Department officer Koodathayi Ponnamattom Tom Thomas (66), his wife, Ret. Teacher Annamma Thomas (60), Jolly's first husband Roy Thomas (40), Annamma's brother M.M. Mathew Manchadyil (68), Tom Thomas' nephew Shaju Skaria's wife Sili (44) and daughter Alfine (2) were killed. According to the case, all family members died due to cyanide ingestion. Jolly reportedly committed the crime to take possession of the family property.

Jolly's first husband, Roy Thomas, died in 2011. It was Roy Thomas' brother who raised suspicion and approached the police. The bodies were exhumed and examined later, and the frightening truth came out. Subsequent examinations revealed that Jolly murdered them all. Jolly was arrested by the Kozhikode Rural Police in October 2019.