Man shoots wife, kills himself

2003-11-24 22:25

Martina Smit

Sasolburg - A man shot his estranged wife in the face while she was apparently trying to call the police, then committed suicide.

Staff at Markhams in Sasolburg had to watch helplessly as J P Hattingh pressed a gun against the head of Maryna Baker, 41, shop manager and mother of a young son.

The drama started when a Markhams' salesperson ran into a nearby jewellery store and asked for the police phone number. The jeweller sent a security guard back with her.

Soon afterwards, Baker herself phoned and asked for the number. After she hung up, staff at the jeweller's heard two shots.

Lawrence Moloe, 31, saw Hattingh standing next to Baker as she was phoning. "His face was red, red, red," he said.

When Baker fell after the first shot, Moloe saw Hattingh running to the back of the shop.

Hattingh shot and killed himself in the bathroom, said police spokesperson Rosa Benade.

Baker is in a critical condition in the intensive-care unit of Sebokeng Hospital in Vanderbijlpark.

Benade said the couple separated about three years ago.

- Beeld