BETHAL – The Beukes couple was apparently neither beaten with a cricket bat nor stabbed to death.
According to provincial police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi, Dr Hannes and Ms Ibel Beukes were “hit with a sharp object”.
Brig Hlathi said at this stage of the investigation, the police cannot give out more information about the murder weapon.
He did however, confirm that the murderer acted alone.
The Beukes couple was murdered at Mr Francois Pretorius’ farm house outside Bethal on Wednesday, 18 March and their bodies stuffed into the trunk of their car that was hidden away near the Bethal Dam, close to where the couple lived.
Pretorius, a jeweller from Bethal and apparent close friend to the Beukes couple, soon became the main suspect in the murder investigation.
He was apprehended on Thursday, 26 March on his father-in-law’s farm after being on the run from the police for about a week.
Mr Ernst van der Berg, Pretorius’ father-in-law who is a farmer in the Belfast area told the media last week his son-in-law walked for three days along the N4 from Pretoria to the farm. Mr Van der Berg gave Pretorius up to the police.
He later told the media that Pretorius was in dire financial stress and that he was very close to Dr Beukes who was his pastor and spiritual adviser.
Mr Van der Berg also claimed that Dr Beukes helped out at the Middelburg branch of FP Jewellers.
Brig Hlathi said the motive for the murders will come out in court.
Pretorius walked the police through the crime scenes late on Thursday afternoon.
Const Thomas Mogadime, Bethal Police’s spokesman, said Pretorius appeared in court on Friday, 27 March.
He has allegedly not yet said what the motive for the attack was.
The case was postponed to 24 April.
Also read: Beloved couple found murdered in Bethal
