Farm killer had tried before

2003-09-22 13:55

Riot Hlatshwayo

Pilgrim's Rest - A suspect who was shot dead by a farmer's wife shortly after he killed her husband in their bedroom is believed to have attacked the couple twice before.

The manager of Klondyk farm in Pilgrim's Rest, Mpumalanga, Stanley Herbst, 53, died instantly when the intruder shot him in the head and chest in his bedroom about 06:00 on Saturday.

A security guard at the farm later told police it was not the first time the suspect had attacked the Herbsts.

Captain Thabisile Gama of Lowveld police said on Monday: "We were told the suspect had unsuccessfully attacked the Herbsts twice before, and are investigating the allegations."

Police found a cellphone on the intruder and dialled the last number he had called.

The man who answered agreed to identify the suspect's body at Pilgrim's Rest police station.

He confirmed the suspect had lodged at his house, but could identify him only as Isaac from Mahushu near Hazyview.

The man attacked the Herbsts shortly after they returned home from a hunt.

"Mrs Herbst opened the bathroom window for fresh air without realising that she was giving the intruder access to the house," said Gama.

Hit intruder in stomach and back

The couple were drinking tea and listening to the radio, when they heard a noise in the bathroom.

A man armed with a 9mm pistol appeared at the bedroom door and shot Herbst when he leapt out of bed to defend himself and his wife.

In the meantime, Mrs Herbst had grabbed a .38 special revolver and fired repeatedly at the intruder, hitting him in the stomach.

He managed to escape back out the window, but Mrs Herbst shot him again, this time in the back.

He ran a few more steps to the garden gate where he collapsed and died.

Mrs Herbst called for help, but by the time police and a medical rescue team arrived, her husband had already died. Police are investigating two cases of murder and one of attempted armed robbery.

- African Eye