The Knysna Murders: Did They Get the Right Man?
Profiler: True Crime AfricaPlay episode
Show notes
In 2005, Jessica Wheeler and Victoria Stadler were murdered less than a month apart in Knysna.
The crime scenes appeared very different. But investigators began to suspect that the two young women had been murdered by the same offender.
Dr Gérard Labuschagne — then Commander of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Unit — was brought into the investigation to conduct a behavioural linkage analysis.
DJ Heinrich van Rooyen was eventually convicted of both murders and sentenced to two life terms. But he has always maintained his innocence.
In this episode of PROFILER, Gérard takes us inside the original investigation: how the murders were linked, how behavioural linkage works, the differences between MO and signature, why Van Rooyen became a suspect, the DNA and other forensic evidence, his changing versions of events, and what ultimately happened in court.
We also hear from investigator Mike Bolhuis, who was involved in the case at the time.
More than twenty years later, Van Rooyen remains in prison and arguments about his guilt continue.
The linkage analysis concluded that one offender murdered both women. But was Heinrich van Rooyen that offender?
Did they get the right man?
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