A man suspected of murdering his 23-year-old estranged wife in Tembisa has been found dead inside his vehicle in Midrand, Gauteng.
The man had been identified as a person of interest in the killing of Boitumelo Gift Mashita. His body was discovered after the South African Police Service’s Tembisa Tracking Team was alerted that his vehicle had been located within the Midrand police precinct.
The discovery came as investigators were tracing him in connection with Mashita’s death. Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the investigating team had linked the man to the murder in Tembisa.
“The SAPS Tembisa Tracking Team had been tracing him. The team was subsequently informed by the Midrand police station that his vehicle had been found within its policing precinct, with his body inside,” Muridili added.
Police believe the man may have ingested an unknown substance. At this stage, investigators do not suspect foul play in his death.
Muridili said the exact cause of death would only be established after a post-mortem examination.
“A post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of his death. Midrand police will register an inquest case for investigation,” Muridili added.
The opening of an inquest means police will investigate the circumstances surrounding the man’s death. It does not, at this stage, establish how he died or whether anyone else was involved.
Mashita killed on her way to work
Mashita was killed in Tembisa on Monday morning while travelling to work. Police said she was shot along Mapungubwe Street at approximately 5.45am.
Investigators initially believed that she may have been the victim of a robbery because some of her belongings were reportedly taken during the incident. However, the investigation later led police to identify her estranged husband as a person of interest in her killing.
The available information does not state whether any belongings were recovered or what evidence led investigators to link the man to the murder. Police have also not released details about the weapon used or the circumstances of the shooting.
Mashita’s death is being investigated as a murder. The discovery of the suspected person of interest’s body means that investigators must now continue gathering evidence to establish exactly what happened on Mapungubwe Street and what led to the woman’s death.
Two investigations now underway
Police are dealing with two connected but separate investigative processes: the murder investigation into Mashita’s death and the inquest into the death of the man found in Midrand.
The Tembisa Tracking Team had been searching for the man after investigators linked him to Mashita’s killing. The team was then informed by Midrand police that the vehicle had been found in their policing area.
The body was discovered inside the vehicle. Police have not said how long the vehicle had been in the area or who first alerted authorities to its location.
The post-mortem examination will be central to determining whether the man died after ingesting a substance, as police currently suspect, or whether another cause of death is identified. Until those results are available, the circumstances remain unresolved.
The inquest will also examine the location of the vehicle, the man’s movements after Mashita was killed and any evidence found inside the car. Investigators may use information from the vehicle, cellphone records, surveillance footage and witness statements to piece together his final movements.
Police investigation continues
Although the man was considered a person of interest, police have not announced that he was formally charged in connection with Mashita’s death before he was found dead. His suspected involvement will therefore be examined through the available evidence gathered by detectives.
The police have not released the identities of Mashita’s family members or provided details about her relationship with the man beyond describing him as her estranged husband. The investigation remains active, and further information may emerge after the post-mortem examination and additional forensic work.
Mashita was killed shortly before the start of the working day, while she was making her way to work. The initial belief that the shooting was linked to a robbery has since been followed by a murder investigation focused on someone known to the victim.
For now, the man’s death has brought a sudden development to the search for answers but has not resolved the case. Police still need to establish the full circumstances of Mashita’s murder, determine the exact cause of the man’s death and complete the inquest in Midrand.