Three individuals, including the victim’s life partner, have been handed lengthy prison sentences for the premeditated murder and staged robbery of a 65-year-old local businessman.
The incident unfolded on 30 October 2025, when SAPS Mount Road detectives were dispatched to a home on Mangold Street in Newton Park. Initial inquiries revealed that 65-year-old Daniel de Jager had been beaten to death with a hammer. Following the attack, the perpetrators stole his jewellery, laptop, vehicle, and bank cards, later using the cards to withdraw cash from his bank accounts.
Investigators quickly identified discrepancies in the account provided by the deceased’s 57-year-old life partner, Estelle le Grange. Detectives determined that the homicide was carefully orchestrated and that the perpetrators had cleaned the residence to stage a standard house robbery and mislead law enforcement. Acting on these findings, police arrested le Grange, along with 36-year-old Leeroy Scholtz and 36-year-old Anke-Mari Cilliers, within 24 hours of the crime being reported.
The trio entered into a Section 105A plea and sentence agreement with the prosecution. They were convicted of murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, defeating the ends of justice, and contravening the Older Persons Act. Sentencing was finalized in early June 2026:
Leeroy Scholtz was sentenced to an effective 25 years in prison on 01 June 2026.
Anke-Mari Cilliers received an effective 20-year prison term on 02 June 2026.
Estelle le Grange was handed an effective 25-year sentence on 10 June 2026.