Free State police have released an alert on a possible serial killer on the loose in Botshabelo.
This after at least four bodies were found at a stream in the large township, outside Bloemfontein. The bodies are of two males and two females.
Bodies had similar injuries, hands tied
The bodies, found on different occasions, carried the same pattern with stab wounds. They were also tied with plastic bags filled with stones or sand. Though it might appear the killer’s aim was to force the bodies to sink deeper into the river, this did not happen.
Police spokesperson Montantsi Makhele said police were still investigating if the deceased were related. All four were found at different locations, not far from each other along the stream.
He said police were called to the scene after two people came across the lifeless body of a man aged between 45 and 50 years floating in the water.
The yet-to-be-identified man’s throat was slit. His hands were tied to plastic bags loaded with sand, possibly to ensure that the body sank.
Decapitated
The second body was found following a missing person’s report about Lebohang Julia Khutsoane, 52. She reportedly did not return home from a trip to the local mall. She was found with her head cut off and her hands tied.
“Public Order Policing members, while combing the area looking for the deceased’s body part, found another decomposed body of a female floating in the water about 50 metres from the first scene,” Makhele said.
“The body had bags full of stones fastened onto it, to keep it from floating. The deceased is unknown at this stage, and investigations were launched.
Family yet to identify body
“On Friday, at about 10am, while members were searching further between the railway line and the stream, one more body was found with stab wounds. His hands were also tied with a rope. The family of the deceased has yet to identify the 43-year-old.”
Makhele said the suspect, whose identity is still a mystery, used stones from the railway track. He also revealed that the stream runs through dense vegetation on the other side of the N8 freeway. The area is adjacent to the railway track.
Skilled investigators on the suspected killer’s trail
Provincial police commissioner, Baile Motswenyane, said the four murder cases were under investigation. She added that murder cases have been opened at the Selosesha police station in Thaba Nchu.
“A team of skilled investigators is assigned to trace and arrest suspects involved in the gruesome murders. I instructed that the team work very hard to make sure that the perpetrator or perpetrators are brought to book as soon as possible,” said Motswenyane.
