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Dad, kids 'were burnt alive'
11/01/2006 22:47 - (SA)
Buks Viljoen and Carla Mouton , Beeld
Secunda - The three people whose charred bodies were found together on a bed were burnt alive, according to post-mortems, say police.
Chalvin Kistan, 36, his daughter Liza, 11, and son Josh, nine, were lying next to each other on a bed in the main bedroom when they burnt to death.
Police said post-mortems excluded the possibility that the three had been shot before they burnt to death about 03:00 on Tuesday.
Inspector Graham Grimsdell of Secunda police said: "They were alive when the fire engulfed them.
"The possibility that they were murdered by someone else is also being investigated."
Initially, it had been speculated that Kistan had killed his children and then set the house alight before killing himself.
However, the post-mortem results ruled out that possibility.
Meanwhile, it also has been revealed that Kistan had a rape charge pending against him.
Wife, kids lived in Bethal
Beeld established that a woman had laid a rape charge against him two weeks ago.
Kistan's estranged wife, Trudy, 34, and the children lived in Bethal.
The smell of fuel was still evident in the house on Wednesday.
Grimsdell said several empty containers had been found inside the house and these had tested positive for fuel.
Investigators from the police forensic laboratory in Pretoria searched again on Wednesday through the ash and debris of the destroyed house for clues.
They also took blood and tissue samples during the post-mortems in order to determine the dead peoples' identity without a doubt.
Beeld discovered that Kistan had given his mother and sister money to go gambling at Graceland Casino on Monday evening.
Heard a loud bang
At one stage, he sent them SMSs to tell them to stay longer at the casino.
Neighbour Tracy Boardman said a loud bang woke her about 03:30 on Tuesday.
"We saw the house was on fire and called the fire brigade.
"The children came to visit their dad just before Christmas. I never thought it would end so tragically."
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