[SA] Officer Croeser, charged with wife Erika's murder, released

In loving memory /

In liefdevolle herinnering

Erika Croeser

1 May 1978 to
28 August 2010

Constable Morné Croeser of the SAPS dog unit

...He did not comment on the State’s allegation that he stabbed himself in a bid to evade justice... He admitted that Erika’s parents met him in April or May last year to discuss his temper and said they did not want him at their home. He said he was not aware that Erika had sought a protection order against him because she was afraid for her life...

Excerpts from an article from last year, earlier this month, and yesterday.

WOMAN'S THROAT SLIT IN NATURE RESERVE
The Witness
Stephanie Saville and Bongani Hans
2010-08-29 23:12
Pietermaritzburg - A woman was killed and her policeman husband stabbed at their home at Msinsi Game Reserve, Albert Falls Dam, in the early hours of Saturday. Erica Croeser, 32, had her throat slit with a knife that was also used to stab her 34-year-old husband, Constable Morné Croeser of the SAPS dog unit, in the stomach. When paramedics arrived they found the knife still lodged in his stomach. The scene was described as “very, very gory”. Police believe the murder was related to a labour dispute. Erica had been working at Albert Falls as a tourism assistant for 10 years.... A source said that while Morné parked the car, Erica went to open the front door of their house. Two intruders, who were waiting behind the door, pounced on her. The couple’s two young daughters, aged 6 and 10, were staying with their grandmother... Distraught neighbour Hlekisile Nkala told The Witness that she heard a gunshot just after 02:00, and about 10 minutes later she heard a male voice screaming for help... “At this stage police believe that this is linked to a labour dispute. She was a supervisor, and responsible for hiring and firing. Croeser’s mother Francoisana Schafer said the family are coping with “the sad story”, but declined to comment further... [Full article here]


Cop in court for wife’s death
Independent Online
By Sherlissa Peters
February 2 2011 at 03:23pm
A Pietermaritzburg policeman who was found with a knife wedged in his stomach and who told paramedics that he tried to fight the men who killed his wife, has been charged with her murder. Constable Morné Croeser 34, claimed that he and his wife, Erica, 33, were attacked by unknown assailants at their home at Msinsi Game Reserve at Albert Falls Dam in August last year. Friends of the dead woman who were in court yesterday said they were shocked that the policeman had been implicated in the crime.... Croeser told police at the time that, despite being stabbed, he somehow managed to get to his firearm and attempted to shoot the attackers... Croeser is a member of the Mountain Rise Dog Unit. His wife worked at the game reserve... [Full article here]

I'M NO WALKING TIME BOMB, COP SAYS
News24: South Africa: News
Ingrid Oellermann
2011-02-08 23:01
[Excerpts] A member of the Pietermaritzburg police's dog unit, Morné Croeser, 34, charged with murdering his wife in a premeditated, staged robbery last August, could be back on the beat on Wednesday after being granted bail of R5 000 on Tuesday. At his bail hearing, Croeser denied he is a “walking time bomb” because of ongoing anger management issues. He also denied that, if allowed to go free and resume his duties armed with a firearm, he would pose a danger to others, including his daughters, aged three and six, because he knows he could face life imprisonment if convicted. “I will never, ever hurt my children,” he said. “My plan is to live a full life and to see my children.” A seemingly composed Croeser admitted he has a temper, that he assaulted his wife Erika in January 2010 and that he has had “more than one” affair during their marriage. He also admitted he was involved with his current girlfriend (identified only by her surname, Sinclair) at the time of his wife’s death, but he said he intends to plead not guilty to Erika’s murder... He did not comment on the State’s allegation that he stabbed himself in a bid to evade justice... He admitted that Erika’s parents met him in April or May last year to discuss his temper and said they did not want him at their home. He said he was not aware that Erika had sought a protection order against him because she was afraid for her life, as the State alleges she did... Investigating officer Swami Pillay of the organised crime unit said in an affidavit opposing bail that the State has a strong case against Croeser based on circumstantial evidence. This includes evidence by medical and other experts proving that the wound to Croeser’s abdomen was “probably self-inflicted” and that wounds to his hands were consistent with him holding the knife while stabbing his wife. Pillay said there is evidence that Croeser staged two break-ins at the couple’s home in the week prior to the murder in an attempt to mislead people... The case has been postponed to February 15. Croeser’s advocate Dawid Joubert disputed the state’s contention that the murder was premeditated. Even if Croeser did kill Erika, it was more likely to have been in the course of a “savage rage attack” as she had 14 stab wounds... [Full article here]

UPDATE:


EX-COP GETS STIFF SENTENCE FOR KILLING WIFE
news24.com
2012-01-17 19:05
[Excerpts] Pietermaritzburg - Former police dog handler Morné Croeser was jailed for 23 years by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday for murdering his wife Erika. Croeser, 34, was convicted on Monday of the August 2010 crime in which his wife was stabbed 14 times. Judge Esther Steyn said Erika's daughters - aged seven and four - had been deprived of her life, hopes, dreams, and expectations. Erika's family and friends had also been robbed of a sister, daughter, and companion... Croeser was volatile, had shown no remorse, and had not taken the court into his confidence... Croeser claimed that his hands and arms were cut while trying to fight off the intruder who stabbed him in the stomach and fatally stabbed Erika. The State contended that he stabbed himself to lend credence to this claim... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety fatality fatalities murder plot staged international south africa]