The Western Cape High Court on Monday found 22-year-old Adrian Hendricks guilty of the murder of a 50-year-old Hawks officer.
Warrant Officer Petrus Holtz was stabbed to death on July 29, 2015, while travelling on the notorious stretch of road between Somerset West and Khayelitsha, dubbed the N2 Hell Run.
Holtz was attached to the Hawks’ Commercial Crimes Unit and was on his way to the Bellville office early in the morning, when his car struck rocks placed on the road.
Two of his tyres were punctured. The court found that Hendricks had placed rocks in the road, and when Holtz pulled over, he pounced.
Judge Robert Henney said Hendricks had used brute force to drive a knife 4cm into Holtz’s leg, severing an artery.
Hendricks was convicted on one count of murder, two counts of malicious damage to property, one of attempted robbery with aggravating circumstances and one of robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The accused, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, appeared unemotional as he was convicted, glancing over at the victim’s family.
Hendricks claimed he had come upon an injured Holtz, and had slipped in his blood, before stealing the cop’s cellphone and GPS.
Just over a week earlier, motorist Jacques Loots fell victim to the same modus operandi.
He was nearly stabbed and had his cellphone stolen, but he managed to escape. He later identified Hendricks in a photo ID as his attacker.
Judge Henney said it was too much of a coincidence that the same modus operandi was used in both attacks.
Holtz is survived by his wife Rene and two children. The family refused to talk to the media yesterday.
A small group of police officers were also there to support them.