Nathacode Murders

The podcast episode explores the chilling true story of the Raja family murders in Natapong, Kerala. Kato Jensen Raja killed his parents, sisters, and aunt over three days, meticulously planning the attacks. He claimed he murdered them to observe their souls leaving their bodies through astral projection, but investigators believed it was driven by resentment and psychological conflict. Kato was found guilty, sentenced to life in prison, and the case shocked India for its brutality and bizarre motive. The truth behind the murders was darker than the paranormal explanation. Welcome to Asia Horror, a podcast exploring the darkest folklores, chilling crimes, and true horror stories from across South Asia. This week's discussion is at home. In the first place, we have the incident of Natapong, one of the most influential neighborhoods in Kiwindom, around Kerala, of a smoke signal from a white gated house. At first it seemed like an ordinary domestic fire, but when firefighters forced their way in, they encountered a scene that would become one of the India's most disturbing crime cases. Inside, three bodies lay burned beyond recognition. Another has been dismantled and hidden. There were bloodstains across the houses, weapons scattered, and a sign of deliberate destruction of evidence. The killer was not a buggler, he was not an outsider, he was not a stranger. He was their son. His name was Kato Jensen Raja, and when the police questioned him, he offered a shocking explanation. He claimed he murdered his family to observe their souls leaving their body, a phenomena he believed could be seen through acid projection. This is the story of Natapong's family murders. The Raja family was well known in their community. A Raja Thangam, aged 60, was a retired college professor known for his discipline and academic achievements. His wife, Dr. Jane Padma, who was 58, was a senior doctor accepted in medical circles. Their daughter, Caroline, aged 26, was educated, ambitious, and was often described as bright and driven. Living with them was Lalitha, a 70-year-old aunt who was visually impaired and dependent on the family for care. From the outside, the household appeared stable, successful, and privileged. They lived in a large house in a neighborhood associated with wealth and status. They had everything, education, financial security, and social respect. But their son, Kato Jensen Raja, was a bit different. Even though he was sent to Australia to study engineering, he had dropped out and returned to India, reportedly struggling to find direction. Friends and acquaintances later described him as quite withdrawn and increasingly isolated. Investigators would later say that the tension existed with the family, although outwardly they maintained a respectful image. Kato reportedly felt overshadowed by his accomplished parents and sisters. He struggled with identity, purpose, and expectations. But no one could suspect what was about to happen. Between April 5th and April 8th, 2017, Kato killed all four members of his family over the course of three days. The killing was not impulse. It was planned and carried out one by one. Kato's plan was to lower each member's bedroom under a simple pretext. He claimed he wanted to show them a video game he had been developing. The game was used as a bait, a reason for each person to come to him alone. Once inside the room, he attacked them with a machete. His parents and sisters were killed first. The attacks were violent and fatal. For nearly two days afterwards, his aunt, Nalitha, remained alive downstairs. She was unaware that the rest of the family was dead. Eventually, he killed her after. The murders did not happen in a single burst of rage. They unfolded over time with pauses between killing, indicating deliberation rather than panic. In fact, investigation later discovered that the violence had been prepared in advance. Police traced the murder weapon to Kato's setup. He had purchased two Xs online days before the He even showed investigators his order history. The digitals became forensic evidence of premeditation. He did not find just one weapon. He clicked die now. Police also found evidence that he had practiced using makeshift models, rehearsing the attacks before carrying them out. Two murders Kato attempted to maintain a sense of normal while having dangerous evidence. He told the message staff that his family had gone on a trip, ordered food from outside to avoid suspicion, and stayed in the house for a period. At the same time, he poured fuel over the bodies of his parents and sisters and set them on fire. The blaze quickly grew beyond his control, filling the house with smoke, the same smoke that ultimately alerted neighbors and revealed the horrific scenes inside. When firefighters arrived, they forced entry into the locked house. Inside, they found the burnt remains of three victims and dismembered a fourth victim. They also found weapons, bloodstains, and signs that someone had attempted to clean parts of the scene. Kato was not there. He had fled the city and traveled nearly 800 kilometers to Chennai in the neighborhood state of Tamil Nadu. According to investigators, he saw news coverage of the fire and the deaths while he was in Chennai. Instead of disappearing, he returned to Kerala. Police arrested him soon after his return. Meanwhile, investigators reconstructed a timeline of the killings inside the house. The forensic evidence showed that the murders had occurred on different days. The parents suggested planning rather than a sudden emotional breakdown. Police also examined Kato's digital history. Their sound searches related to killing methods, body disposals, and violent content. They also discovered that he had been watching videos and researching techniques to kill. The evidence contradicted any claim of impersonal crime. During the investigation, they offered a strange explanation. He said he believed in astral projection, paranormal beliefs that the soul can leave the body at shamanic times. He claimed he wanted to observe his family members leaving their bodies at the point of death. This statement spread quickly through Indian media. Headlines labeled the case as astral projection murder. It became one of the most widely discussed crime stories in the country. But investigators and prosecutors did not accept that explanation as the true motive. They believed it was a fabricated narrative, possibly intended to create an impression of mental instability or to mystify the crime. Psychiatrists were called to evaluate Kato after his arrest. The suspect concluded that he was mentally competent and understood the nature of the consequences of his actions. He was considered fit to stand trial. Prosecutions argued that the murders were driven by resentment rather than paranormal beliefs. He was reportedly sent controlled by his parents, sedated by his sisters, and disconnected from the society. He felt threatened from a family that valued academic and professional success over anything. He struggled with his identity and direction. The prosecution described the killing as an act of rage mixed with planning, not delusional. The trial took years, with investigation, forensic examination, and legal proceedings unfolding slowly. The case attracted intense media attention because of its brutality, the social status of the family, and the bizarre explanation given by the accused. Meanwhile, Kato's defense team attempted to argue mental illness and psychological disturbance. They highlighted his isolation, emotional issues, and alleged delusions. The prosecution countered with evidence of planning, research, and awareness. They argued that Kato knew what he was doing, knew it was wrong, and attempted to cover it up with fire. The court instinctively rejected the insanity defense. In 2025, Kato Jensen Raja was found guilty for four murders, destruction of evidence, and arson. He was sentenced to multiple life sentences and fines. The murders shocked India for several reasons. First, the brutality of the trial. Second, the social status of the victim. And the third, weird explanation. The failed after-projection murder captured public imagination, blending true crime with paranormal intrigue. But in court, the conclusion was clear. The after-projection narration was not accepted as a genuine motive. The murders were determined to be premeditated acts driven by resentment and psychological conflict. Today's and not-to-court family murders remain one of Kerala's most notorious criminal cases. A house that once resembled success became a crime scene. A family that appeared stable was destroyed within. And the sons who struggled with identity chose violence as a way to assert control. The after-projection story became a headline, but it was not the truth of the crime. The truth was simple and darker. Resentment, anger, isolation, and a decision to kill. Kalen Jensen Lazar said he wanted to watch souls leave the body. What he left behind was a burned house, whole life erased, and a country trying to understand how violence can grow silently in a house that seems perfect from the outside. True crime often teaches us to fear strangers, dark alleys, and unknown threats. But sometimes the most devastating crimes come from within the family. That was today's story on Asia Horror. Sleep well if you can. Until next time. Bye-bye.