Lavender Hill mob attack police over suspect
THERE were chaotic scenes in Lavender Hill, as it became known that police had arrested a 50-year-old neighbour of Rene Tracy Roman for her murder.
The police confirmed that the body found two doors from her home in St Agatha Crescent was that of the missing teenager. The body was found in a Wendy house wrapped in a carpet.
The boyfriend of the owner’s daughter went missing at the time of the gruesome find.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said the man was arrested in Stellenbosch.
“An arrest effected on Tuesday of a 50-year-old suspect in Stellenbosch has now been linked to the murder of Rene Tracy Roman.
“On Tuesday, March 21, 2017, (the) decomposed body was discovered in St Agatha Crescent, Lavender Hill, which led detectives to Stellenbosch where the suspect was arrested. Further investigation revealed that the body which was discovered is that of Rene Tracy Roman.”
As news of the arrest spread and after police apparently brought the suspect to the crime scene, a large crowd in the area became rowdy and attacked the police to get to the suspect. The police responded with teargas and rubber bullets.
Gary Hene, 59, a community leader, said they had been fighting to rebuild the community and the response to the murder was a setback for the community.
“This whole incident is concerning because at this stage he should have been in court, as the guy has been identified as a suspect. If this guy had been put in protective custody we would have not experienced this chaos.
“The community is angry because the suspect was taken to the scene. My question is how did they think the community will react because they knew how the community feels about this case and this is the result. This whole chaos is because of the uncertainty. If this whole thing was given coverage we would not be here.”
Cecelia Atkins, 34, one of the angry community members who had a stone in her hand, said: “I have been staying here for 34 years, it’s the first time we are experiencing this, that is why we as the community have decided to stand together. We do not support the abuse of women and children. We do not need this, we demand the death penalty be brought back.”
One resident, who did not want to be named, described the suspect as a “guy who is in his mid fifties and said he was a quiet and a kind guy who had dignity”.
“He liked to stand at his the gate of his house and smile and greet people. We were shocked when we were told that he was the suspect. When the community was searching for Rene Tracy Roman he was also there helping to search.”
The police said a police officer was injured and four vehicles damaged.
“During this volatile situation police investigators had to suspend their crime scene investigatio.” The suspect was due to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT THE ABUSE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. WE DO NOT NEED THIS