Pretoria -
A young Pretoria couple were found dead in Ga-Rankuwa, north of the city, on Sunday morning after what is believed to have been a murder and suicide after a lovers’ spat.
The bodies of the couple, identified as Wilfred Meso and Violet Motsepe, both in their early twenties, were found in an open field on the outskirts of the township.
Exactly what had led to the tragic murder-suicide was not clear, but early indications were that the pair were not on good terms.
Police said the couple apparently had an argument earlier on Saturday evening and separated but met again later the same evening.
The young woman was found dead with neck injuries while Meso was found hanging from a tree near the young woman’s body.
“It looks like a murder and suicide. We suspect he [Meso] killed her before hanging himself.
“They had an argument earlier before the incident happened,” Warrant Officer Mathews Nkoadi said.
Meso had used a chain and a lock to hang himself in the tree, and might have strangled the girlfriend using the same tools, he added.
News about the couple’s death travelled fast around the neighbourhood and their friends took to Facebook to express their sentiments about the incident.
While the bulk were questioning what had happened, some of the woman’s close friends suggested things were not rosy between the pair.
Some passed their condolences to the pair’s families, and expressed shock at the news of their tragic death.
The tragedy was believed to have taken place on Saturday evening, but their bodies were only discovered on Sunday morning.
There were even suggestions that Motsepe had told her close friends and relatives that her boyfriend had threatened to murder her and then commit suicide, but these threats were ignored.
The Pretoria News met Motsepe’s father near the murder scene yesterday, but he refused to speak about what happened.
One of Meso’s friends, who spoke to the Pretoria News on condition of anonymity, said when he saw him for the last time he could not tell that he was troubled.
“When I saw him he was fine - there were no signs that there was something troubling him.
“They had been together for quite a long time, probably since about 2009.
“When I heard about what happened I could not believe it. I thought it was just a joke, but then it all turned out to be true. I’m still shocked even now,” he said.
Police said they were investigating the incident.
Pretoria News