Mary-Ann Crowe

Mary-Ann Crowe (1941 - 1991)

Brief overview:

Mary-Ann (50), was driving along the highway from Pinetown to Camperdown in KwaZulu-Natal on 26th August 1991, when she was chased down by man named only as WJ Nortje, who intended to rob her. She stopped her vehicle near a farm on the Eston Road. Nortje found that the drivers door was unlocked, and he assaulted Mary-Ann with a rock to her head and concussed her. When going back to Mary-Ann's vehicle Nortje saw that she was still moving and the drivers door was locked, so he smashed the window, and proceeded to bludgeon her with the rock again, and moved the car 500m along a dirt road.

Nortje later went back to the scene and dragged Mary-Ann's body from her vehicle and moved it into the bush, and then drove home. The incident had been reported on the news that night, and he went back to the scene the following morning and cut off her head and buried it. Mary-Ann's head was never found.

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
  • This is an appeal against a death sentence.
  • The appellant stood trial in the Natal Provincial Division before HOWARD JP and assessors on three charges: (1) murder, (2) robbery with aggravating circumstances, and (3) escaping from custody. On arraignment the appellant pleaded not guilty on count (1) and guilty on counts (2) and (3). He was convicted on all three counts. The death sentence which is in issue in this appeal was imposed on count (1). On counts (2) and (3) he was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years and 12 months respectively. The murder charge arose out of the killing of Mary-Anne Crowe, an adult woman ("the deceased"), on 24 August 1991 on a farm road near Camperdown. The body of the deceased was found on 26 August 1991 in the veld at the side of the road. It was covered in grass. It had been decapitated. The missing head was never found. The appellant was arrested on 30 April 1992. Shortly after his arrest, on the same day, he was taken to a magistrate, to whom he made a statement.
  • In the final result I conclude, as did HOWARD JP, that the death sentence is the only proper sentence in this case. Since the Constitutional Court has not yet pronounced on the validity of the death penalty, this appeal (in which the death sentence imposed on the appellant is the sole issue) cannot now be finally disposed of. It must await the decision of the Constitutional Court. The appeal is postponed to a date to be determined by the Registrar in consultation with the Chief Justice. AS BOTHA JUDGE OF APPEAL.

Additional Biographical Information:

• Cause of death : NO SPECIFIC ANATOMICAL CAUSE OF DEATH
• ID Number : 4102060075082
• Mary-Ann married Geoffrey Clifford on 12/07/1980
• https://www.gendatabase.com/deceased-record.php?q=3310031&r=MARY-AN...

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.ph/Zfpuw (Court document)