Slain teacher’s ‘killer’ in dock
SHOCKING: FAMILY, COMMUNITY ANXIOUSLY AWAIT ANNOUNCEMENT
A court will today reveal the identity of the close relative arrested in connection with the murder of Port Elizabeth teacher Jayde Panayiotou. Until now police have refused to confirm if the arrested person is the slain teacher’s husband, Christopher.
Popular teacher found dead in farm field after police helicopter search.
All eyes are on a Port Elizabeth court today, where the identity of the “close relative” arrested for the murder of widely admired Port Elizabeth teacher Jayde Panayiotou, is expected to be revealed.
Although some media reports have named the close relative as the murdered teacher’s husband, Christopher Panayiotou, there has been no official confirmation.
The Riebeek College Girls’ High school teacher’s body was found by police on a farm in Rocklands near Uitenhage at about 10am on April 22, a day after she had been abducted and murdered.
Jayde Panayiotou, 28, who was abducted outside her home in Kabega Park, was shot in the head and upper body.
The life orientation teacher’s murder has left the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan reeling.
Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Miranda Mills said Jayde Panayiotou’s body was discovered by a police helicopter.
At her funeral just two days later, husband Christopher delivered a moving eulogy in which he described Jayde as “the salt in my sea, the stars in my sky and my sand of earth” – but now reports suggest that he used Google to find the moving words on the internet.
Police said they have so far arrested two suspects, aged 28 and 31, in the abduction and murder of Jayde Panayiotou.
Today the “close relative” is expected to appear in court in connection with the murder.
Reports in the Sunday Times suggested that businessman Christopher Panayiotou was having an affair with the woman who runs his supermarket.
Community members and police had feverishly searched everywhere for the teacher. Panic set in after it had been established that an undisclosed amount of money had been withdrawn from her bank account.
Jayde Panayiotou’s family had offered a R150 000 reward for her safe return.
Images of the life orientation teacher from Riebeek College Girls’ High School in Uitenhage flooded Twitter and Facebook as her family tried to find her.
The school’s principal, Marilyn Woods said Panayioutou’s colleagues had been left traumatised by the news of her death.
“She was a special, special young lady. She was an exemplary teacher who always went the extra mile for her children,” a saddened Woods had said.
Family member Peter Becker was quoted in a weekend report as saying: “From what I have heard from the family, he [Christopher Panayiotou] is maintaining his innocence.
“This whole situation is just so unreal. When we got the news of his arrest, his father almost collapsed,” he reportedly said.