Helderstroom Murders
Script error: No such module "AfC submission catcheck". The Helderstroom Murders was the murder of three Correctional Service officials on the morning of 29 January 1999 near Helderstroom whilst they were driving to the town of Caledon, South Africa.
Murders[edit]
The three murdered prison warders were identified as Howard Adams (22), Samantha May (23) and Adolf Van Wyngaard.[1] On the morning of January 29th, they were en route to Caledon to bank a cash amount of R60 000 when they were flagged down in an apparent robbery gone wrong. Van Wyngaard was the first to be shot, dying where he sat in the front seat of the minibus they were in. Adams was shot four times in the chest and died. May was also fatally shot, but survived long enough to phone Helderstroom Prison's switchboard and describe their attacker. She named Shaun Voigt (27) as the shooter, who was also identified as being a colleague of the three.[1]
Trial[edit]
The murder trial began in 2001. At the trial it was revealed that Voigt had not worked alone, having worked with accomplices Danie Van Schalkwyk and Jacobus Opperman. Each of them pleaded not guilty, with Voigt describing the call by May as "hearsay." Voigt was ultimately sentenced on 7 August 2001 to three life terms for murder with Opperman being found guilty of being an accessory to the murders. In 2012 he tried to have his sentenced appealed but was not successful. Voigt was released on parole in 2019. [2]
Aftermath[edit]
In July 2020, an episode of the programme "Op Seer Se Spoor" aired which featured the story about the murders. The families of the victims were interviewed about their experiences and their reactions to Voigt's release.
References[edit]
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Warder 'shocked' to be suspected of killing". Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ↑ "Op Seer se Spoor: Dié program raak harte". Netwerk24. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
- ↑ "Log in or sign up to view". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
