The fourth suspect arrested this week in connection with the gruesome murder of Hillary Gardee flirted with her on Facebook days before allegedly raping and killing her on their first date.
- In another shocking development, the police say they received information on Tuesday – which was Women’s Day – that the suspect allegedly raped and killed a Midrand woman on Saturday, August 6 in Benoni, Gauteng, after they met on Facebook.
- In killing his latest victim, he allegedly confessed to have used the same modus operandi he used in killing Gardee.
- The man – believed to be a serial killer – has also confessed to the double murder of his wife (name withheld by this newspaper) and her sister (name also withheld) in Kanyamazane, Nelspruit, in May this year, according to the police.
These shocking revelations are contained in a confidential Success Report compiled by the National Crime Intelligence Unit, Public Transport Violence Unit, and Counter and Security Intelligence assembled by Police Minister Bheki Cele to crack the high-profile case of the killing of Gardee earlier this year.
Cele assembled the high-level investigative team after he was (two weeks ago) ordered by the Pretoria High Court to appoint a multi-disciplinary team comprising SAPS, crime intelligence and officers from the Hawks to investigate, inspect, search and collect evidence relating to Gardee’s murder.
This after the Gardee family brought an urgent application to compel Cele to prioritise the investigation.
Gardee, the daughter of former EFF secretary general Godrich Gardee, was raped and murdered in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, early this year after she went missing on April 29 while shopping with her adopted three-year-old daughter.
The daughter was later on that day dropped off at Umnenke Street at KwaMagugu, where they lived.
Gardee’s body was found with stab and gunshot wounds. Her body was discovered by timber plantation workers on May 3, about 60km outside Mbombela, towards Sabie.
Three other men – Sipho Mkhatshwa, Philemon Lukhele and Albert Gama – were arrested for her murder, which hogged national media headlines.
Mkhatshwa has since been denied bail, while Lukhele and Gama are expected to apply for bail in September.
At the time, police said they believed that Gardee was kept captive at Lukhele’s guesthouse, Insika Lodge, where she was allegedly raped and murdered.
The lodge, which has been used as student accommodation by the University of Mpumalanga, has since been petrol bombed by angry residents who took the law into their own hands.
The university has since terminated its contract with Lukhele.
In a new twist this week, police said the suspect, who was arrested in an operation conducted around Sundra, Springs, and Kwa-Thema in Ekurhuleni on Thursday, met Gardee on Facebook and started “flirting” with her.
“During his interview, the suspect confessed to having been involved in the murder of Hillary Gardee, who was killed in the bush around Lydenburg road, and afterwards the suspect proceeded to Sabie where he withdrew cash from the deceased’s bank account.
He took the child of the deceased to KwaMagugu location, where he left the child on the street.
“The suspect alleges that he met with Hillary Gardee on Facebook, and they started to flirt with each other. This led them to meeting in Nelspruit CBD for a date. On the same day of the date, Hillary Gardee was raped and killed by the suspect,” reads the statement.
The suspect, who is expected to appear in court tomorrow, also told the police that after raping and murdering her, he took her laptop and cellphone and sold it to a Nigerian known as Biggy around Nelspruit.
“The suspect alleges the firearm that was used to kill Gardee was one of two 9mm PX pistols robbed from traffic officers on the Hazyview road.”
On Tuesday, according to the police, information was received that the suspect was involved in a car-hijacking and murder of another woman in Midrand after they met on Saturday, August 6, on Facebook.
“The information that was received indicated that the suspect first made contact with the female via Facebook, and this led to them meeting on Saturday, 2022-08-06, in Benoni.
“The suspect raped and attempted to kill the lady by strangling her, and ended up using an object to hit her on the head. The victim was later found by a cattle herder in a ditch and was taken to hospital,” reads the statement.
The woman succumbed to the injuries sustained during the attack. Her white MercedesBenz C Class was recovered in Daveyton while the suspect was attempting to remove the
tracker from the vehicle.
The suspect also confessed to the double murder of his wife and her sister in Kanyamazane.
The report also stated that the suspect used double identities in an apparent bid to evade law enforcement agencies.
According to the police, the above information was verified with the Provincial Organised Crime unit.
“They also confirmed that they have been searching for this suspect for more than six months.
“Information indicates that there’s a possibility that the suspect is wanted and will be linked to more than 20 cases in the province.
“This information was further confirmed with the investigators of the provincial task team commissioned by the Mpumalanga provincial commissioner to trace the suspect on which they provided a list of cases on which the suspect is wanted,” reads the report.
The police also said during the operation the suspect was tracked and located through the assistance of the informer in KwaThema location while he was driving in a white VW Polo.
After nabbing him, police “recovered a Vector pistol with 15 live rounds, which were found in his possession”.
They said ballistic tests would be conducted to determine if the firearm was linked to other crimes.
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