Nearly seven years after Montevideo mom Angela Marinus was shot and killed in front of her teen daughter, the Western Cape High Court found her former boyfriend guilty of her murder.
Cheers were heard in court on Wednesday as Judge Alma de Wet also found Wayne Lawrence guilty of the attempted murder of his own 16-year-old daughter who was seated next to her mother during the incident.
In a harrowing tale of abuse, obsession and the trauma faced by their daughter, De Wet recounted the testimonies of more than 15 witnesses who took the stand during the trial.
The 36-year-old mom was killed outside her home in Nevada Street in December 2017.
Angela was shot in her head and neck and one of the bullets ricocheted off her and hit her daughter in the foot.
Lawrence pleaded not guilty to all charges, which included assault, kidnapping, murder, attempted murder, domestic violence and charges under the Firearms Control Act.
Lawrence submitted a plea statement where he confirmed that he was in a common law relationship with Angela and that they had one daughter.
Lawrence told the court that he legally possessed two firearms and was a member of a shooting club.
He claimed Angela had abused him and jolled around. He claimed that at the time of her death, she was in a relationship with a co-worker.
Recounting the evidence before the court, De Wet read out details of messages sent to the couple’s daughter after the murder, as well as messages detailing horrific abuse Angela had suffered as Lawrence continually begged her to reunite after she had ended the relationship.
Evidence before the court showed that an armed Lawrence had even pitched at the Mitchells Plain home of Angela’s new boyfriend who testified that he agreed to end the relationship to “pacify” Lawrence.
De Wet explained that in his defence, Lawrence took the stand and told the court that on the day of the murder he admitting to sneaking into the gate of Angela’s home carrying his firearm, but claimed he planned to shoot himself and commit suicide in front of her.
He told De Wet that there was a scuffle and Angela had her hand on the gun when the shots were fired.
She added: “He said he did not want to say that she shot herself but that is what he tried to insinuate.”
De Wet found Lawrence guilty on nine charges, which include murder, attempted murder, and domestic violence, among others.
He was found not guilty on three charges of kidnapping, domestic violence and a charge under the Firearms Control Act.