RedHanded Podcast | Ep. 435

Jessica Wongso: Iced Coffee Killer

Release Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: Hannah & Suruthi (Jackie)

Overview

In this episode, RedHanded dives into the infamous "Iced Coffee Killer" case—the high-profile 2016 murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin at Jakarta’s upscale Olivier Café. Her friend and former university peer, Jessica Wongso, was convicted of poisoning her with cyanide-laced Vietnamese iced coffee, in a true crime saga that became a national obsession in Indonesia and sparked international controversy about justice, class, and evidence. The hosts dissect the forensic chaos, media frenzy, dubious motivations, sensational trial, and the subsequent Netflix-fuelled debate: was Jessica a cold-blooded killer, or a victim of a flawed court system?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Case Background and “Coffee Date” Setup

• Setting the Scene:

  • January 2016, Jakarta, Indonesia: Myrna Salihin, her friend Jessica Wongso, and Hani meet at the exclusive Olivier Café for a long overdue reunion.
  • The café caters to the city’s elite, and a single drink costs as much as a day’s wage for many Indonesians.
  • Myrna and Jessica had met at Billy Blue College in Sydney; both came from wealthy families (“the Plastic King” is Jessica’s father).

• Breakdown of the Friendship:

  • A falling-out occurred in 2014 when Myrna bluntly told Jessica to leave her toxic boyfriend, sparking a permanent chill.
  • Jessica, recently unemployed and just out of a turbulent relationship, returns to Indonesia and makes moves to rekindle old friendships.

2. Events of the Fatal Day & CCTV Analysis

• The Timeline (17:48):
  • Jessica arrives at the café 90 minutes early, leaves briefly, returns with large shopping bags (speculated as props to obscure CCTV).
  • Orders the drinks 45 minutes ahead (4:18pm)—including the fateful Vietnamese iced coffee for Myrna.
  • Drinks are theatrically prepared; the straw protocol is observed (left wrapped on the side).
• Key Suspicious Behavior:
  • Jessica is seen “scoping” out CCTV cameras and sitting at a table partially obscured by plants.
  • She arranges shopping bags on the table, blocking the view of the drinks from cameras (23:44).
  • She fidgets behind the bags; Team Guilty argues this is the moment cyanide was added.
• Victim’s Arrival and Collapse (5:16pm):
  • Myrna and Hani arrive; Myrna sips her iced coffee, immediately reacts ("It tastes bad!"), and has a violent seizure—foaming at the mouth and collapsing (24:48).
  • Jessica is notably calm, keeps her distance, wrings her hands, and refuses to taste the drink (26:00).
  • Notably, Jessica had first aid training, yet does not assist.

Memorable Quote:
"This is the first one that would make me be like, what? [...] [Jessica] turned to [the manager] and demanded, 'What did you put in her coffee?' Why would that be the first thing you ask within seconds of your friend convulsing?"
— Jackie (28:25)

3. Investigation & Red Flags

• Immediate Aftermath:
  • Manager Devi preserves the coffee; notes it is yellowish, pungent, and tastes rancid (30:36).
  • Testing finds nearly 300mg of cyanide in the drink—several times a lethal dose (31:40).
• Suspicious Conduct:
  • Jessica sends news about poisoning to Myrna's twin before the cause of death is public.
  • Disposes of her jeans from that day via her family housekeeper.
  • The entire nation's media, fueled by class tension, erupts with scandal and rumor.

Quote:
"It created a real divide in opinion based on class in Indonesia... The wealthy thought Jessica was innocent; others absolutely believed she was guilty."
— Jackie (36:57)

4. Speculated Motives & Media Frenzy

• Rumors & Theories:
  • Lesbian lovers’ jealousy (widely peddled, fueled by family and media, but dismissed by close friends).
  • Love triangle (Jessica jealous of Myrna’s husband)—but they’d only met once.
  • Plain old revenge/grudge—envy is considered most likely by the hosts.
• Envy Defined:
  • Jackie explains:
    "Jealousy arises from a perceived threat of loss; envy is a desire for something someone else has. Chronic envy can absolutely be a powerful motivator for murder." (42:32)

5. The Flawed Forensic Case

• The Problem with Proof:
  • Only a partial autopsy was allowed for religious/cultural reasons (50:00).
  • No cyanide found in Myrna’s system, only a tiny trace in her intestine—possibly from embalming (51:19).
  • Forensic uncertainty hands the defense ("smoking gun") (56:25); experts testify it is impossible to conclusively prove cyanide killed her.

Quote:
"In my opinion, Myrna died of cyanide poisoning, but it's the difference between what you believe and what you can prove in a court of law."
— Jackie (54:33)

• Defense:
  • Argues the prosecution can't connect Jessica to cyanide procurement.
  • Raises chain-of-custody issues—postulates possible frame-up by Myrna’s powerful family.
  • Highlights multiple people tasted the drink but only Myrna died (63:30).

6. Personality, Trial & “Bad Conviction”

• Prosecution’s Argument:

  • Cites Jessica’s strange WhatsApp messages (asking about a doctor at the mall), intent to order in advance, and inconsistent stories (66:24).
  • Points to Jessica’s demeanor: Nonstop giggling/laughing, bizarre for someone facing a likely death sentence: "Smiling Coffee Killer" (69:52).
  • Dubious “physiognomy” psychological assessment is admitted as evidence—Jackie lambasts this as pseudoscience and bigotry (71:53).

• Jessica’s Mental Health & Australian Records:

  • Revealed she had a troubled history in Australia: multiple suicide attempts, drunk driving into an elderly home, restraining order from ex, disturbing messages about hurting others (76:41–77:44).

• The Trial:

  • No jury; 3 judges decide on "if they reckon" someone did it ("...the level at which I am happy to state my opinion on this podcast, but I wouldn't feel happy if a state is using that level of reasoning to execute somebody." – Jackie, 79:49)
  • Found guilty; sentenced to 20 years; immediate appeal rejected.

• International Perception:

  • Netflix’s 2023 Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee, and Jessica Wongso documentary reframes Jessica as wrongfully convicted, sparking a wave of public sympathy and—likely—a factor in her early release after 8 years.

7. Aftermath & Ongoing Debate

• Jessica on Parole:

  • Released after 8 years, influencer status, coffee brand promotions, but forbidden to return to Australia until 2032 (84:44).
  • Olivier Café closed in 2020, never escaping the murder’s shadow.

• Media Clips & Final Impressions:

  • Australian interviewer presses Jessica: she dances around saying who really put the cyanide in:

    Q: “If you didn’t do it, who did?”
    Jessica: “Maybe. I can only say maybe.” (86:23–87:00)

• Hosts’ Conclusion:

  • Both feel Jessica "did it," but agree the conviction was unsafe and the investigation was a mess:

    “They got the right verdict, but via the worst possible means… If this case had been tried in another country… Jessica Wongso most likely would not have been convicted.” — Hannah (89:05)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On motives:
  “I think any of these theories fit—or it could have been something else altogether. For me, the motive of envy is the one that fits the best.” — Jackie (41:42)
• On forensic chaos:
  “Just because cyanide wasn't found in Myrna’s body, it doesn’t necessarily mean for certain that cyanide isn’t what killed her. Cyanide is a notoriously volatile compound...” — Jackie (52:15)
• On the trial’s circus-like tone:
  “Imagine a crowded room filled with flashing cameras and heckling reporters. The whole thing was also broadcast on national TV...” — Jackie (47:50)
• On pseudoscientific psychology:
  “He used physiognomy. Literally reading Jessica’s face like some dodgy Victorian asylum throwback… That’s a quote: ‘Jessica’s eyes didn’t sparkle—like Julia Roberts’…” — Jackie (71:53)
• On Jessica’s post-release life:
  “Imagine being Sandy and seeing the woman who absolutely murdered your sister profiting off the thing that killed her… She's an influencer now, with 139,000 followers.” — Hannah & Jackie (85:10)

Notable Timestamps

• 03:46: Setting up the café scene, class dynamics
• 06:51: Cyanide confirmed in coffee, beginning of investigation
• 12:57: The 2014 falling-out; Myrna’s wariness
• 17:48: Jessica arrives early; CCTV behavior
• 24:48: Myrna’s fatal seizure
• 28:25: Jessica’s “What did you put in her coffee?” comment
• 30:36: Manager Devi preserves the coffee; notes odd color/smell
• 36:57: Media storm and class divide
• 41:42: Motive analysis: envy vs. jealousy
• 50:00: Partial autopsy, no cyanide in body
• 56:25: Defense’s “smoking gun”: forensic uncertainty
• 69:52: Jessica’s demeanor: “Smiling Coffee Killer”
• 71:53: Physiognomic “expert witness”
• 76:41: Jessica’s mental health, Australia years
• 79:49: Indonesian court system—“if the judges are convinced”
• 84:44: Jessica’s post-prison influencer life
• 86:23: Awkward interview with Jessica post-release
• 89:05: Hosts’ final verdict—“Jessica did it, but it’s an unsafe conviction”

Summary

This episode is as much about the crime as the ecosystem that grew up around it—class anxieties, toxic friendships, tabloid sensationalism, dubious legal practices, and forensic blunders. The hosts break down the evidence piece by piece while maintaining their characteristic irreverence, humor, and critical take on true crime narratives.

While the hosts clearly believe Jessica Wongso is guilty, they unambiguously denounce the Indonesian investigation and trial as deeply flawed and likely unsafe by international standards. The episode ultimately asks listeners to weigh both the circumstantial evidence and the failures of the system, concluding that sometimes the truth is overtaken by the story—and that, at least in this case, justice may never be fully served or accepted.

Listener Takeaway

If you want a forensic, funny, and skeptical breakdown of the Jessica Wongso case—exploring “pick your poison” tropes, psychology, media circus, and true justice—this episode is a must-listen. But maybe pass on the iced coffee.