Post mortem results of Duncan’s death
The SAPS have just confirmed to St Francis Chronicle that 76 year-old St Francis Bay resident and boat builder, Duncan Lethbridge, died as a result of suffocation, owing to a cloth put in his mouth, which was sealed with cellotape – updated
Detectives from St Francis Bay, arrested a 35 year-old St Francis Bay man yesterday afternoon, 19 August, at about 3.40 pm.
The suspect will face charges of house robbery and murder of the 76 year-old St Francis resident and catamaran boat builder, Duncan Lethbridge.
Following post mortem results of Duncan’s death, the SAPS confirmed to St Francis Chroniclethis morning that 76 year-old St Francis Bay resident and boat builder, Duncan Lethbridge, died as a result of suffocation , owing to a cloth put in his mouth, which was sealed with cellotape.
The St Francis Bay detectives worked around the clock and followed up on all possible leads which led them to the apprehension of the suspect in Bureau Street, Humansdorp. The SAPS said.
The suspect is due to appear in the Humandorp Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 21 August 2019.
More arrests are expected soon.
Humansdorp Cluster Commander, Brigadier John Lebok , applauded the work of the St Francis detectives in bring about this arrest.
The post mortem results are not yet available and will be released after it the autopsy is completed.
(Press release edited by Bev Mortimer)
Original story follows:
St Francis Bay couple attacked, husband dies
(SAPS release, edited by Bev Mortimer)
An elderly couple in St Francis Bay’s Santareme suburb was attacked by two armed men at about 5 pm this evening and the husband died following the attack.
The SAPS in a press release, just issued, said a housekeeper busy outside the Sardinia Way house this evening, 15 August, was allegedly approached by two unknown men, armed with firearms. They pushed her inside the house and tied her up.
The intruders then allegedly also tied the 71 year-old woman and her 76 year-old husband up and covered all three victims’ mouths with cellotape. They then allegedly ransacked the house and assaulted the elderly couple during the process.
The suspects then demanded the keys of the safe and the wife was forced to unlock the safe, from which the armed men allegedly took an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables and fled the scene on foot. It is unclear at this stage exactly what was taken, police said.
At 7 pm the housekeeper managed to alert neighbours, who immediately summoned an ambulance service and the police about the attack and robbery. The neighbours discovered the husband lying face down in the living room with his hands still bound and his mouth covered.
The medics discovered the man had passed on but the cause of his death is unknown at this stage, police said. The two women victims were severely traumatised and taken for medical treatment.
The name of the husband will be released at a later stage, the SAPS said.
Police have opened a murder case and a robbery case and said there is a widespread manhunt for the gunmen. St Francis Bay detectives are currently following up on all possible leads.
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