Three sugar-cane workers arrested for loathsome double-murder of Jennifer, Christopher Early from UK on their Hibberdene, KZN smallholding

Three sugar-cane workers arrested for loathsome double-murder of Jennifer, Christopher Early from UK on their Hibberdene, KZN smallholding

HIBBERDENE, KZN. July 23 2010 - A convicted burglar who had been jailed for breaking into a Hibberdene smallholding - and who was released from prison in June – was amongst three sugar-cane workers arrested at a kampong 12 km away; suspected of murdering the retired white English-speaking couple Christopher (69) and Jennifer (62) Early, who are originally from the United Kingdom. The kampong is 12km away from the smallholdings. The Early couple had been found dead inside their crashed, torched car.

Beeld newspaper journalist Dries Liebenberg reports on July 23 2010 that the 23-year-old suspect was jailed for breaking in at Hibberdene – the same region where Mr and Mrs Early were hacked to death. A team of detectives from Port Shepstone descended on the Silver Hill kampong at a sugar-cane farm co-operative at 4pm on Fridayto arrest the man. SAPS lt.col. Zandra Hechter said the kampong is located about 12km from the Early smallholding. The couple’s .22 and .38 special handguns, their two cellphones and various other items from the Early household were found with the suspects. The SAPS believe that Mrs Early was shot dead with the couple’s own .22 handgun. Mr Early was hacked to death with a machete – police believe he had surprised the attackers inside the homestead while they were holding his wife captive. The men are scheduled to set remand court appearance date on Monday July 26. The SAPS is also investigating whether the attack-gang can be linked to any other armed robberies in the region. 2010-07-23 Dries Liebenberg http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Hy-moor-glo-na-sy-vrylating-20100723