Murder of well-known Barberton resident still under investigation over two years later
BARBERTON - One of Barberton’s most well-known residents, Edwin ‘Ned’ Sturgeon (86) was hacked to death with a panga in his Sheba Road home on the night of October 19, 2021. Sturgeon’s body was found by his domestic worker when she arrived for work the following morning. Lowvelder previously reported that a provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, had said that a case of murder and robbery was being investigated in the days following his death.
Another provincial police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi, said no arrests have been made as yet, and that investigations into the murder was still ongoing.
MBOMBELA - During the early hours of December 25, 2023, Shawn Pretorius, a businessman, PostNet owner and father of two sons, and Ilonka Craucamp, a beauty therapist, businesswoman and mother of two daughters, were shot and killed.
Shawn and Ilonka’s bodies were found on the living room floor in a house in Laser Street in Steiltes. The police seized a 9mm pistol with 16 rounds of ammunition on the scene.
Both Shawn and Ilonka were in the process of divorcing their spouses, Melane and Jaco. The two couples lived in Hoedspruit and were previously good friends.
Video footage shows three men walking down Enterprise Street at 01:17 on Christmas Day. When the three men notice the camera, they take cover behind a wall. It seems that one of them then makes a phone call, whereafter they walk towards Laser Street.
At about 01:49, a resident of Laser Street alerted the Steiltes WhatsApp security group that three men were attempting to gain access to a house in Enterprise Street. The three suspects had then moved towards Laser Street. At 02:15, a second resident sent a message on the group: “Gunshots in Laser.”
At this stage, no clear link has been made between these three men and the murders.
A provincial police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi, said no arrests have yet been made and that investigations into the double murder are ongoing.