Patricia Vause Taylor

Patricia "Trish" Vause Taylor (1955 - 2020)

Brief overview:

Patricia 'Trish' (65), owner of Threeways Getaway Guesthouse in Mooi river, KZN, was shot, at close range, in her breast, when two armed attackers wearing balaclavas broke through a bedroom window, on Monday 24th February 2020, at 20h00.

Trish and her friend, Cecilia 'Kiki' Dion (70), a Canadian living in Zambia, were sitting in the lounge watching television when the two perpetrators invaded the room. Trish was shot once in her chest and fell over in the lounge where they had been sitting. One of the attackers told Cecilia that they wanted money, jewellery and guns. She answered saying, 'okay' and put her hands in the air. Then then tied her up with wire and gagged her, dragged her through to the bedroom, and pushed her onto the bed and tried to suffocate her with pillows and a duvet. The one attacker persistently pushed the pillow on her face, the other male told him to leave her alone as she is a Gogo (Granny). The perpetrators then ransacked Trish's bedroom, stealing the safe and two televisions, and fled.

Cecilia lay on the bed until she heard the car leaving around 21h30, then managed to free her hands and call her husband in Zambia. The police didn't know how to get to the guesthouse, but neighbours arrived within an hour, and Nsele Security Services arrived shortly after.

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joshua Maistry reported that a case of murder and armed robbery was being investigated and that no arrests had been made. The vehicle was found abandoned in a soccer field near the Mooi River SPCA on the morning of Tuesday 25th February.

Patricia’s daughter, Taryn Newport, said she was not convinced that her mother’s death was motivated by robbery. She feels strongly that it was a hit organised by someone her mother had known.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
• Funeral/Memorial
  • Patricia's ashes would be scattered on the river at Threeways overlooking Giant’s Castle, in the southern Drakensberg Mountains. “Mum had a beautiful spot on the bank of the river. It was therapeutic to her. Whenever she was stressed, she would visit the sacred spot,” said Taryn.
• 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:

Links to Media articles:

• http://archive.is/380XH
• http://archive.is/QxVBM
• http://archive.is/SkBGy
• https://archive.ph/yDVHW