Leonard James Hodson

Leonard "Len" Hodson (1953 - 2009)

Brief overview:

Len (56), co-owner of the Scrumpy Jacks Deli Shop and Farm Shop and Khotso Horse Trails farm was murdered on September 13 2009 at his deli-shop in the Winterton police district, centrally situated on the main road R600 leading into the Champagne Valley.

He was shot in an attempted robbery when three armed men, dressed in blue overalls, entered his shop. Hodson, who's businesses had been targeted at least seven times before carried a firearm. He activated the panic button, and was shot by one of the assailants - a single shot with a 9mm handgun. The bullet penetrated Leonard's right shoulder, punctured his lung and crushed his 9th vertebrae. He succumbed after surgery. Allegedly Hodson shot one of the perpetrators who's blood was found on the door of the shop. The assailants fled without robbing anything, escaping on foot into the plantations opposite the R600 highway.

A reward for R15 000 was offered by the family.

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
  • The Winterton police (Capt van Wyk, tel 082 419 2109 and Inspector Shabalala, tel 073 257 5688) arrested three suspects afterwards but released them again due ‘a to lack of evidence’
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

ID: 530416 5176 08 3
Age At Death: 56 Years Old
Born: Rhodesia 1953
Moved to SA In 1980
Lived In Cato Ridge From 1980 To 2004
Moved To Champagne Valley, Central Drakensberg In 2004
Business Owner – Scrumpy Jacks Deli Shop And Khotso Horse Trails
Divorced, Father Of 3
Character: Quiet, kind family man. Hard working and well liked in the valley

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.ph/9NZ1u
• https://archive.ph/QoBcP
• https://archive.ph/Xf1pH
• https://archive.is/IBf3C
• https://archive.is/36BtM