A 28-year-old man from Knysna, WC, was arrested and charged with murder after his mother’s near-decomposed body was discovered in a bushy area last week Tuesday.
Knysna murder: Community aids in suspect’s arrest
In a statement, police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie detailed the extent of the work that went into closing a murder investigation that will haunt the Knysna community for a long time to come.
The 59-year-old mother was reported missing on Friday 7 January 2022. Her family members knew nothing about her whereabouts, she was unreachable by phone and her 28-year-old son was nowhere to be found.
Genuine concern grew into suspicion directed towards the son since he was the last person seen alive with his mother.
A search operation led by a multidisciplinary SAPS task team was launched on Monday 10 January 2022 and sure enough, it took 24 hours to turn the entire case on its head.
The 59-year-old woman was discovered on Tuesday 11 January 2022.
“Her body, already partially decomposed, was discovered by a member of the community in bushes between Alemein and Stroebel Streets in Hornlee, Knysna,” the statement read.
At this time, it remains unclear what caused the woman’s death and police could only confirm that an autopsy was conducted but the results would only “be produced to court as part of the evidence.”
Immediately, the woman’s son was looked at as the murder suspect. Sure enough, a trail of leads resulted in the 28-year-old’s arrest on Friday 14 January 2022, a week after his mother was reported missing
“The 28-year-old suspect is scheduled to appear in the Knysna magistrates’ court on a charge of Murder on Monday, 17 January 2022. He remains in custody at the Knysna SAPS holding cells,” the police confirmed.
The motive behind the gruesome murder, at this time, is unknown.
