Bodies of nine women found in Ekurhuleni over two months — TimesLIVE
The bodies of nine women were found in different locations in the Ekurhuleni municipality in South Africa over two months. Police have intensified their investigation, while experts differ in their assessments of whether the murders may be linked, TimesLIVE reports.
Versions regarding links between the cases
Private investigator Chris Kroukamp, who took part in solving a serial killer case in Pretoria, believes that the nature of the crimes may point to a cautious offender moving within a triangle between Brakpan, Boksburg and Kempton Park.
According to his version, the attacker may have followed women, killed them elsewhere and left their bodies in remote locations, including near highways. Kroukamp also suggested that the offender may know the area well and choose locations with limited visibility and video surveillance. He stressed that these versions require further verification and are not supported by evidence.
The investigator called on Ekurhuleni police stations to exchange information more actively in order to identify possible links between similar cases, as well as to maintain communication with morgues.
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Criminologists urge against rushing to conclusions
University of Pretoria professor Christiaan Bezuidenhout said that it is possible to speak of a serial killer only after a link between the cases has been established on the basis of evidence, including DNA. According to him, in a country with a high murder rate, the discovery of several bodies in relative proximity is not unprecedented, but the concentration of deceased women requires special attention.
Gerard Labuschagne, former head of the Investigative Psychology Section of the South African Police Service, believes that because of the proximity of the locations where the bodies were found, the time frame and the similarity of the victims' profiles, the cases should be considered potentially linked until evidence to the contrary emerges. He also said that these circumstances may be grounds for applying the serial murder investigation policy approved by the police minister in 2016.
Labuschagne added that concentrating the cases within a special investigative team would give them more attention even if it later turns out that the crimes were committed by different people.
