Shirley Taylor

Shirley Taylor (1943 - 2008)

Brief overview:

Shirley (65) was beaten to death with a cricket bat on 7th March 2008. Taylor and her sister Gloria Smith (67) lived together on their Rispark smallholding just outside Alberton. They were both tied up and severely assaulted said Police spokesman Johan du Toit said. It appears that Taylor suffocated as she was found with a bag over her head that was so tightly tied that paramedics struggled to get it loose. She was already dead when paramedics arrived at the scene, but was declared dead by members of the Johannesburg emergency services, who were later there, at about 21:10.

They were found by relatives in one of the bedrooms at about 5.30pm, Du Toit said. He said the 12-year-old family member had been waiting for Smith at school for hours on Friday afternoon to pick him up. Just after 5pm, a school teacher dropped him off. He then went to the neighbour's, who were also family, where the owner and his son discovered the two elderly people in the bedroom. It is uncertain exactly what time the incident happened, Du Toit said. “Their injuries are very severe; Gloria is just happy that she survived the injuries.

According to Mr. Netcare 911 spokesman Nick Dollman broke Smith's left forearm and upper arm as well as her collarbone. Smith was rushed by members of Netcare 911 to Mulbarton Hospital, where she was still in the emergency room last night. Du Toit said she was capable of speaking and could tell what had happened.

They stole the firearm from the sisters' locker and an unknown amount of cash.

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:

Links to Media articles:

• https://web.archive.org/web/20080508225316/http://www.news24.com/Be...