Legendary detective Piet Byleveld left the Cape on Monday night after spending the past five days trawling through evidence linked to one of the province’s most notorious unsolved murders.
The retired ace detective has been hired by the family of murdered Matie student Inge Lotz, who was bludgeoned to death in her Stellenbosch apartment seven years ago.
“Having interviewed a number of key individuals over the past few days, I now have a much clearer picture in my mind of both the victim and what happened to her on the day that she died,” said Byleveld.
“In this job you have to get out into the field and talk to people. I’m very encouraged by the quality of information that has come to light.”
Byleveld said the case was complex, but solvable. He explained: “Inge Lotz was both an outstanding scholar and a talented musician, she had a brilliant mind and the world at her feet when she was murdered. I think it’s fair to assume that this beautiful young woman was killed by someone she knew, a trusted friend. More than that, I cannot say at this stage.”
Byleveld is collaborating with investigative writer Michael Day, who is Lotz’s biographer.
Day said: “I have tremendous respect for this distinguished detective, he takes nothing for granted, turning everything over in his mind.
“He’s relentless once he smells blood – that’s what makes him so devastatingly effective.”
In a statement issued by Byleveld and Day, Lotz’s father, Professor Jan Lotz, is quoted as saying: “Piet is absolutely the right man for the job, there is none better in South Africa, and he will find my daughter’s killer, of that I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever.”
Byleveld visited the crime scene outside Stellenbosch over the weekend with Inge’s mother, Juanita Lotz.
It was at Lotz’s apartment at Welgevonden estate, on the R44 towards Paarl, that she was murdered between 4pm and 6pm on the afternoon of March 16, 2005. She was 22.
Soon after the discovery of her body, her boyfriend, Fred van der Vyver, was seen as the prime suspect. But after a lengthy and controversial trial, Judge Deon van Zyl rejected all aspects of the State’s case and acquitted Van der Vyver on November 29, 2007.
Last month, Lotz’s father offered a R1 million reward to find her killer.
Anyone with information can send it “in absolute confidence” to Bloemfontein attorney Johan Jordaan on 082 338 5318, the team says. - Cape Argus