Ruan Hechter

Ruan Hechter (1986 - 2023)

Brief overview:

Ruan (37), was shot in his face during a farm attack on a farm near the old Saasveld road, George, WC. Two men, one armed with a firearm and a knife, confronted the deceased’s wife in her room and asked who else was in the house. Both suspects wore balaclavas.

It is believed that Hechter then entered the room and a scuffle ensued with the armed suspect. A shot went off and the deceased was wounded in the face. He was declared dead on the scene.

Brief Biography:

• Other Victims/Family
  • Hechter leaves behind his parents, two sisters, a brother and his wife Karen.
  • Karen, her mother Monica Diedericks and stepfather Tim Duke-Jackson, who shared the house with the couple, they were still in a state of deep shock as they were all trying to come to terms with what had happened.
• Funeral/Memorial
• The Farm/Smallholding
• The Region (Land disputes, other incidents etc.)
  • Sunday's incident was not an isolated one. On Friday 30 June, George Herald also reported about an incident that happened on a farm near the R102 where a couple was attacked inside their house by four armed men.
  • Besides the two most recent incidents, there have been six other similar incidents in the area since October 2022. Although the incidents can't be linked to each other at this stage, they allegedly have the same modus operandi.
  • The first attack took place in Hoekwil. Following that, a couple on a farm outside Herold's Bay were tied up with shoelaces and held hostage for three-and-a-half hours in January this year while their house was being ransacked by four suspects. The husband faked a heart attack while his wife handed the suspects whatever they wanted. Three of the suspects were wearing balaclavas and they were armed with a crowbar, a gun and a stick. They demanded guns, keys to the safe, money and jewellery.
  • After that, the same farm in Hoekwil was struck again, after which two robberies followed in the Great Brak area and one in Glentana.

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
  • Two suspects, both 42, were arrested in Parkdene on Monday night after a laptop and two cell phones that were stolen during the house robbery were found in their possession.
• Name/s and age/s of Perpetrator/s
• Country of origin of Perpetrator/s
• Trial/Conviction

Additional Biographical Information:

Links to Media articles:

• https://archive.ph/8TgY9
• https://archive.ph/W7gNa
• https://archive.ph/7ziPl
• https://archive.ph/xcDeH
• https://archive.ph/dPgTv