By Roy Denish.
CHAVAKACHERI, Sri Lanka – He wore a surgical mask to conceal his face, while his wife wore a hijab to blend into the crowded passenger bus.
Together, they boarded a bus in Colombo South and travelled north towards Jaffna, allegedly intending to reach the edge of the island and escape across the water to India.
Instead, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department boarded the bus at a routine checkpoint in Chavakacheri.
The interception brought a massive, multi-province manhunt to an end and exposed a couple accused of turning deception into a family business.
Dramatic End to 96-Hour Manhunt
The arrest brought a dramatic conclusion to the 96-hour flight of 43-year-old Jayasundara Mudiyanselage Champika Sriyan Jayasundara.
To the public, the Narammala native has become known as the “Kurunegala Casanova.”
To some criminologists, his allegedly calculated and cold-blooded methods have drawn disturbing comparisons to the psychological torment associated with the infamous Zodiac Killer, despite the stark difference in their alleged death tolls.
Charm Allegedly Used as His Primary Weapon
Unlike the Zodiac Killer, who stalked the dark lovers’ lanes of Northern California to build a body count, Jayasundara’s primary weapon was allegedly neither a firearm nor a knife.
It was an algorithm combined with carefully engineered charm.
While the American predator sought total anonymity, the Sri Lankan shapeshifter allegedly operated in broad daylight, hiding behind a premium hairpiece, tailored clothing and the manufactured identity of “Dineth Dissanayake,” a wealthy and youthful software engineer.
Psychological Traps Tailored to Each Victim
The comparison lies not in the number of deaths, but in the alleged mastery of the psychological trap.
Police believe Jayasundara targeted women through social media platforms, particularly Facebook.
He allegedly searched for a specific type of victim: independent, professional and single women living far away from their families.
Like a digital predator, he reportedly examined their profiles for subtle signs of emotional vulnerability or loneliness.
Investigators allege that he gathered intimate information about his targets to build a convincing and personalised illusion before making contact.
Romance Became a Financial Prison
For dozens of women across Sri Lanka, that illusion allegedly became an emotional and financial prison.
Once he secured their trust, investigators say he launched an intense courtship, mirrored their deepest values and presented an attractive dream of migrating to Canada.
When the emotional bond became strong, the trap allegedly closed.
Claiming that money was urgently required for visa fees and settlement expenses, he reportedly imposed high-pressure deadlines designed to create panic.
Driven by affection and manufactured urgency, his alleged victims emptied their savings and borrowed heavily.
Millions Allegedly Stolen Through Marriage Proposals
Jayasundara already faces serious indictments before the Gampaha High Court for allegedly stealing Rs.11.8 million through a fraudulent marriage proposal.
Several romance-related fraud cases involving more than Rs.3 million are also pending before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Courts.
The alleged fraud was not confined to romance scams.
He also faces a Rs.4.2 million employment fraud case in Hulftsdorp for allegedly targeting desperate jobseekers.
A separate Rs.2.2 million vehicle import fraud case is pending against him in Tissamaharama.
Alleged Crimes Escalate Into Homicide
While the Zodiac Killer used the media to spread fear, Jayasundara’s alleged criminal enterprise unravelled following a single horrific act of violence that indicated his pursuit of money may have crossed into homicide.
His final alleged target was a physiotherapist.
For eight months, he reportedly courted her and built a relationship that eventually persuaded her to obtain approximately Rs.15 million through bank loans and private borrowing.
Once the money was in his hands, investigators believe the illusion ended inside a guesthouse in Nuwara Eliya.
Anonymous Caller Requested Welfare Check
Shortly before the physiotherapist was allegedly strangled, an unidentified man telephoned Nuwara Eliya Police and requested that officers conduct a welfare check on the victim.
However, when police officers arrived at the accommodation, the room was already empty.
Investigators are continuing to examine the identity of the caller and the circumstances surrounding the telephone call.
CCTV Captures Victim Being Carried Away
Closed-circuit television footage later reportedly captured the suspect carrying the unconscious physiotherapist out of the lodging facility.
He allegedly told security officers that his “wife” had suddenly become ill and required medical attention.
Investigators say he placed her inside a car belonging to an earlier alleged victim from Ampara.
The vehicle was later abandoned near Teldeniya Base Hospital.
The physiotherapist’s fully clothed body was discovered inside the locked car, bearing injuries consistent with strangulation.
Wife Accused of Supporting Fraud Network
Investigators have further alleged that the network of deception operated as a domestic partnership.
Jayasundara’s legal wife is accused of actively encouraging his predatory activities, helping manage the money obtained from victims and coordinating fraudulent marriage schemes across the country.
She was arrested with him aboard the Jaffna-bound bus.
The full extent of her alleged involvement remains under investigation.
Suspect Previously Arrested in 2023
Jayasundara was already known to law enforcement.
In November 2023, he was arrested by Peliyagoda Police and the Fraud Investigation Division.
However, he subsequently secured bail, allegedly breached the conditions of his release and disappeared using a new collection of fraudulent identities.
The geographical scale of his alleged criminal activities eventually required the Criminal Investigation Department to launch parallel investigations alongside police divisions in Horana, Padukka and Kaduwela.
Disguises Failed at Chavakacheri Checkpoint
As the multi-province dragnet tightened, police warned that the fugitive may have discarded his signature wig and altered his appearance to avoid detection or target another victim.
However, aboard a passenger bus heading towards Sri Lanka’s northern coast, the disguises finally failed.
The masks were removed at Chavakacheri, leaving the alleged career criminal and his suspected accomplice to face a nationwide trail of broken hearts, emptied bank accounts and a charge connected to a cold-blooded killing.
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