Sun May 11 14:11:09 UTC 2025: ## Thiruvananthapuram Court to Deliver Verdict in 2017 Mass Murder Case

**Thiruvananthapuram, May 11, 2025** – A district court in Thiruvananthapuram is set to deliver its verdict on Monday in the highly publicized 2017 mass murder case of the Raja family. Cadell Jeanson Raja, the sole accused, stands trial for the axe murders of his father, mother, sister, and aunt in their upscale home.

The killings, described as “one-by-one execution-style,” shocked the nation. The prosecution alleges that Raja, the sole surviving heir to a substantial family fortune, lured his family members to his room under various pretexts before fatally attacking them over three days in April 2017. Emergency responders discovered the partially burned bodies after a fire was reported by neighbours. Raja, who sustained minor burns, was apprehended a week later in Chennai.

Evidence presented by the prosecution includes a “Stanley’s Carpenter Axe,” allegedly purchased online by Raja, and violent video games found in his room. Investigators claim the murders mimicked scenes from the game “Zoombie Go Boom,” and that Raja used a human dummy to practice the killings.

The case faced significant delays due to legal wrangling over Raja’s mental state. Raja claimed he was experiencing “astral projection” during the killings, a claim refuted by a medical board that determined the murders were pre-planned. The prosecution argues that family dysfunction, resentment towards his parents, and social isolation contributed to the crimes.

The investigation was led by SP K. E. Baiju, DySP J. K. Dinil, and Sub Inspectors Manikantan and Rajesh, with Special Prosecutor Dilip Sathyan representing the state. Additional Sessions Court VI judge K. Vishnu presided over the lengthy trial. The verdict, expected on Monday, will finally bring a conclusion to this highly-anticipated case.

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