Charlotte "Ria" Maria Heathfield

Charlotte Maria Heathfield "Ria" (1955 - 1998)

Brief overview:

A massacre took place on Sunday 9th August 1998, on Apple Grove farm, Boschrug, Blanco area, George, where four people were murdered by Trevor Wittes (34), also known at Whites. Ria Heathfield (43), was raped, shot dead and petrol poured over her and set alight. Andrew Peter Reid (25), and Marchand Gerber (30), were also shot and torched. Andrew's father, John Robertson Reid (Bobby) (60), was bludgeoned, suffering serious head wounds, and set alight, and died later in hospital.

Ria's husband, Tommy was bludgeoned with a hammer, but survived. The other survivors of the massacre were a neighbour, Isabel Lamprecht (44), and her son Christjan (18). Wittes fled in a stolen pick-up truck.

The following day, Michael Hills, a colonel in the police, André O'Connoll and police colleagues teamed up to catch Trevor Wittes. Hills and the team were confronted by Trevor Wittes when he burst through a roadblock in the Outeniqua Pass and crashed the stolen truck. Wittes climbed out of the wreck with a .243 rifle in his hands, Hills shot and wounded him.

Wittes was charged with murder, attempted murder, rape and housebreaking.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)

Attack Details:

• Date and time of attack
• Weapons
• Items Stolen
• Investigative officer/SAPS Case No:
• Torture, Gratuitous violence
• Indications of Hate Crime? Threats etc.

Perpetrator details:

• Number and Descriptions
• Arrests
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

• ID Number : 5411120156082
• Official cause of death : Unnatural

Links to Media articles:

• http://archive.fo/eLJGW
• https://archive.is/wQbfF
• https://web.archive.org/web/20071012091652/http://www.matriots.com/...
• https://graves-at-eggsa.org/main.php?g2_itemId=1418395