Two Southern Cape men, aged 18 and 24, are expected in court on Wednesday after being found in possession of car keys belonging to a 66-year-old woman who was found dead on a hiking trail in Barrydale.
According to police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie, Erna Gericke was reported missing by her husband after she went for a walk on Sunday at about 2pm and did not return home that evening.
An extensive search comprising various police units and community members was launched in efforts to find the woman.
Pojie said between 2am and 3am on Monday local members of the search party, which included Gericke’s daughter, found her body.
“The body of the woman was found in a badly injured state about 5 to 6km into the Waterfall Hiking Trail. Paramedics who arrived on the scene later declared her dead,” said Pojie.
He said an autopsy would be conducted on the body today to determine the possible cause of death, but currently, no foul play was suspected.
Police were informed that Gericke’s car, a Citroen Sedan, was not found in the parking area but there was shattered glass which indicated signs of a breaking into the vehicle and it being possibly stolen.
“Through the vigilance of the farm watch and rural safety structures, information was passed on about the whereabouts of the car. Upon further investigation, the members found the car abandoned behind a hill near the Tradouwhoek with the right front window (shattered),” said Pojie.
Two suspects aged 18 and 24 from a farm in the area were arrested on charges of theft of a motor vehicle after the spare keys of the Citroen were found in the possession of one of the suspects, linking them to the vehicle.
“There is no linkage between the death of the lady and the arrests of the two alleged car thieves besides the fact that the car belongs to the deceased. An inquest docket has been opened,” said Pojie.