Cape Town cricketer’s mother torn between love and horror as son faces murder charge over Elana Brooke’s death
She keeps replaying their final phone call in her mind. Her son sounded happy – chatting about cricket, job interviews and all the small, ordinary details that made up his world. It’s a memory Rhoda Perez clings to because, a few days later, everything she thought she understood about 24-year-old Tristan, a talented Cape Town cricketer, shattered when he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend, 46-year-old Elana Brooke.
“SHE keeps replaying their final phone call in her mind – her son sounded happy, chatting about cricket, job interviews and all the small, ordinary details that made up his world. It’s a memory Rhoda Perez clings to because a few days later everything she thought she understood about Tristan (24), a talented 24-year-old Cape Town cricketer, shattered when he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend Elana Brooke (46).”
“The news left me feeling numb,” Rhoda recalls. ”I struggled to process beetn toldo.” what I had
On 23 March, Tristan phoned police to Elana’s Diep River home in the early hours, claiming she had died by suicide. But when officers arrived, things did not add up.
“On 23 March Tristan called police to Elana’s home in the early hours of the morning, claiming she’d died by suicide – but things didn’t add up.”
Looking at the scene and the medical evidence that followed, investigators began to suspect that Elana had been strangled and that the room had been staged – with pills scattered around her body to make it appear as though she had taken her own life.
“Looking at the evidence, cops suspected she may have been strangled to death and that the scene had been staged, with pills scattered around her body to make it look like she’d taken her life.”
As officers went about collecting evidence, they asked to see Tristan’s phone – and made a chilling discovery.
“As they went about collecting evidence they asked to see Tristan’s phone – and that’s where they discovered a deeply disturbing voice recording he’d made.”
The device contained a recording of a heated argument between Tristan and Elana on the night of her death. In it, he reportedly accuses her of not loving him, followed by the sounds of an apparent physical struggle, Elana screaming – and then an eerie silence.
“It captured a heated argument between him and Elana on the night of her death, in which he reportedly accused lnoving himt, not then sounds of a physical struggle, Elana screaming – and then an eerie silence.”
While the clip was not played in open court during Tristan’s recent bail hearing – reportedly out of concern that Elana’s family would find it too traumatic – it is expected to be central to the State’s case when the matter goes to trial.
“While the clip wasn’t played at Tristan’s recent bail hearing – reportedly out of concern that Elana’s family would find it too disturbing – it’s expected to form a crucial part of the prosecution’s case when the matter goes to trial.”
Rhoda, 50, was among those in the public gallery at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court when her son was granted R5 000 bail.
“Rhoda (50) was there to support her son at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted bail of R5 000.”
“It was the hardest walk of my life, stepping into that courtroom and seeing my son,” she says.
“You want to reach out and hold the child you raised, but then you look at the
grief on the other side of the room and your heart just breaks twice over.”
Two versions of Tristan
To Rhoda, the boy she raised and the man now accused of murder feel like two different people. Yet she knows they are one and the same – her son, facing charges she never imagined possible.
“THE boy Rhoda raised and the man accused of murder feel to her like two different people. Yet she knows they are one and the same – her son, facing charges she never could have imagined.”
Growing up with two younger brothers and a stepsister, Tristan “was always a happy-go-lucky child who moved through the world with a natural sense of joy”, his mother says.
“Growing up with two younger brothers and a stepsister, Tristan “was always a happy-go-lucky child who moved through the world with a natural sense of joy”, his mother says.”
He divided his time between Rhoda’s home in the southern suburbs and his father Martin’s house after his parents divorced.
“He divided his time between Rhoda’s home in Cape Town’s southern suburbs and his father Martin’s house after the couple divorced.”
From an early age, Rhoda says, her son showed exceptional hand-eye coordination and was seldom without a bat and ball. His talent earned him a bursary to board at Wynberg Boys’ High.
“Rhoda says from a young age her son showed exceptional hand-eye coordination and always had a bat and a ball in hand. His natural talent led to him getting a bursary to board at Wynberg Boys’ High.”
“I spent a lot of time at the hostel. Tristan was always calling me to help one of his hostel brothers in need,” Rhoda recalls.
“‘If someone didn’t have stationery, if they needed a lift to and from sports games or even when they needed the washing done, Tristan called and I jumped in to help.’”
He played hockey and rugby, excelling across the board, but cricket remained his first love.
“Tristan played hockey and rugby, excelling across the board – but cricket remained his first love.”
As a young adult, that passion took him abroad for a stint at Ellesmere Cricket Club in Shropshire in England’s West Midlands, before he returned to play for several clubs in Cape Town.
“That passion carried into adulthood and he had a stint at Ellesmere Cricket Club in Shropshire, in the West Midlands of the UK, before returning and playing for several Cape Town clubs.”
It was through cricket that he and Elana’s paths crossed.
“It was through cricket that his and Elana’s paths crossed. A keen cricket fan, Elana – a podcast host who served as a Laureus Sport for Good ambassador – was often a spectator in the pavilion and she and Tristan started dating in 2024, shortly after he returned from the UK.”
The 22-year age gap between them drew attention from the outset. Rhoda admits she struggled to understand why Elana, whose only daughter is two years older than Tristan, would want to be in a relationship with him.
“The 22-year age gap raised eyebrows from the start. Rhoda admits she struggled to understand why Elana, whose only daughter is two years older than Tristan, would want to date her son.”
“I initially thought she was the mother of one of his friends,” she says.
“‘We were concerned about the age gap as Elana had already experienced significant life events, including marriage, divorce and parenthood, while Tristan’s adult life was only beginning.’”
Rhoda says Tristan spent most of his time living with his father but often stayed overnight at Elana’s house.
“Rhoda says Tristan lived mostly with his father but would spend nights at Elana’s house.”
At the time of his arrest, he was working at Rondebosch Boys’ Prep School as a hockey and cricket coach and hoping to land a job as a cricket analyst.
“At the time of his arrest he was hoping to land a job as a cricket analyst and was working at Rondebosch Boys’ Prep School, coaching hockey and cricket.”
Rhoda remembers how much he loved working with children – and how much they loved him.
“Rhoda recalls how much he loved working with children and how much they adored him in return.”
On the field, his talent drew admiration and, at times, awe. In January, he scored a record-breaking 237 runs for Claremont Cricket Club’s second XI, in an innings that included six sixes in a single over.
“In January he scored a record-breaking 237 runs for Claremont Cricket Club’s second XI – a performance one of his teammates described as featuring ‘the
best ball-striking I’ve ever witnessed at club level’.”
Yet within weeks of that performance, he was expelled from Claremont Cricket Club. Management cited “disciplinary matters arising from conduct deemed to be inconsistent with the ethos, values and spirit of the club”.
“But within weeks of this breathtaking performance, Tristan was kicked out of the club, with management citing ‘disciplinary matters arising from conduct deemed to be inconsistent with the ethos, values and spirit of the club’.”
A month later, he was arrested and charged with murder.
“And just a month after this came the news that he’d been arrested and charged with murder.”
Two families, one courtroom
While Rhoda felt some relief when her son was released on bail, the decision left Elana’s family reeling.
“WHILE it’s a relief for Rhoda that her son was released on bail pending trial, not everyone was happy about the court’s decision. ‘Sitting in court and hearing the fact that he got such a low bail, with no conditions, was a massive shock to our family,’ Elana’s ex-husband David
Brooke says.”
He describes Elana as a woman who lived fully and loved fiercely.
“He describes Elana as someone who lived fully and loved fiercely.”
“She was the most authentic woman, a devoted mother whose daughter was the most important person in her world. We are very upset as a family, but we do know he will get his day in court. And we know that justice will be served for our beautiful Elana.”
For Rhoda, who works in financial and investment services, the bail ruling has not brought peace of mind – only a different kind of ordeal.
“Meanwhile Rhoda, who works in financial and investment services, knows there’s a long road ahead – not just for her son, but their entire family.”
“While we are grateful he is no longer in custody, his release has not brought a sense of closure or ease,” she says.
“While we are grateful he is no longer in custody, his release has not brought a sense of closure or ease,” she says.
She says the family is struggling under the glare of public attention, facing harsh judgements, scrutiny and rumours.
“The family is finding it hard to suddenly be in the spotlight, she adds, and they’re facing harsh judgements, scrutiny and rumours.”
“This is uncharted territory. I’ve never been in a position like this before,” Rhoda says. “I’m being scrutinised for what I say, what I do, how I react. It’s just been a torrid time.”
Financially, she says, they are also under strain.
“Financially, she’s also taking strain. ‘There’s a perception that because Tristan has legal representation, we are a wealthy family. That’s simply not true.
‘We live month to month like most families.’”
Legal fees are being covered largely through the generosity of friends, family and community members.
“The legal costs are being covered largely through the generosity of friends, family and community members who have come forward to help.
Without that support, she adds, they’d have had no choice but to rely on legal aid.”
As the trial looms, Rhoda and Tristan’s father are focused on supporting their son while acknowledging the gravity of what has happened.
“As they prepare for the road ahead, the uncertainty weighs heavily but Rhoda and her ex-husband are just doing what they have to do.”
“Supporting our son doesn’t mean we condone what may or may not have happened,” she says. “We love him unconditionally.
‘Please remember that behind the headlines are real people whose lives will never be the same,’ she says.”
Defence: ‘Not straightforward’
Tristan’s defence counsel, advocate AJ Samuels, insists the case is more complex than the headlines suggest. While the post-mortem found that Elana died of strangulation, he argues that this alone does not prove murder beyond reasonable doubt.
“● Tristan’s defence advocate, AJ Samuels, says the case isn’t straightforward. While an autopsy report reveals the deceased died of strangulation, it doesn’t seal the accused’s fate, he adds. ‘The medical report isn’t tantamount to displaying intent, which is an essential element of the offence of murder.’”
For Elana’s family, the recording and medical evidence point clearly to a violent end. For Rhoda, the voice she hears – in that final normal phone call, and in the allegations of a desperate fight – belongs to the same person: her son.
Between those two realities, a courtroom will eventually have to decide what happened in Elana’s final moments – those “sounds of a physical struggle, Elana screaming – and then an eerie silence” – and whether the young cricketer she raised is also the man the State says killed the woman he loved.
“THERE WERE SOUNDS OF A PHYSICAL STRUGGLE, ELANA SCREAMING – AND THEN AN EERIE SILENCE”
