Police remain mum over west unsolved murders
Four years later the police still cannot provide answers about two unsolved murders in the west of Pretoria.
Four years have passed and the police still cannot provide answers about two unsolved murders in the west of Pretoria, leaving families of the victims despondent, seeking answers.
One of these murders was that of Jury Hayes, who was shot dead on 2 March 2015, at his business Toyco Motor Spares in Soutter Street.
According to a previous statement by the police, he was killed during a robbery. He was 40 years old.
A few minutes before Hayes’ murder, Pretoria Chicken and Meat manager was killed on his way to deposit the weekend’s takings from the meat market.
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Louis du Toit was shot when he left the butchery. He was 29 years old.
His attacker disappeared with the money bag.
The trial of the murder accused in the Pretoria High Court was abandoned in 2016 when the state witness was killed before he could testify.
Jury Hayes’s father, Jury (sen), has gone as far as to offer a cash reward to any information that could lead to the arrest of his son’s murderer to no avail.
Previously, Rekord reported that the older man believed that his son was murdered by an assassin.
He said the killers did not steal anything.
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A second murder that same year was that of Marlien du Plessis, whose body was found on 16 April, behind a sandy heap wrapped in a blanket with her shoes neatly placed next to her.
Her mother Denise Erasmus said the family did not know what to do anymore, adding that they were not hopeful for answers.
“We phone the police about every week and they just ignore us,” she said.
Erasmus said they would now try to seek alternative help.
Due to a lack of funds to appoint a private investigator, they opened a Back-a-Buddy page to help with fundraising.
“I just want justice for my daughter and it is getting more difficult each day knowing that her murderers are still walking around freely,” she said.
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Pretoria West police previously said the two suspects arrested for her murder have been out on bail since August 2016.
“The last we heard from police this year was that they were still awaiting toxicology reports so that they could summon the suspects for a court appearance,” said Erasmus.
Erasmus also received an anonymous call last year, providing her with more information on what happened to her daughter before her death.
She said they gave the information through to the police, adding that it was to no avail.
Erasmus said Du Plessis’ death has taken a great toll on her life.
“I was never prepared for her death, she was still so young,” Erasmus said.
“I will never forget the last time I saw her – she told me that she will see me on Sunday and everything will be better, but I never saw her again.”
Despite several queries to the police, no comment was provided at the time of going to press.
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