Port
Elizabeth - A prison warder was shot dead, execution style, while sunbathing on
a Port Elizabeth nudist beach frequented by gays.
The badly sunburned body of Johannes le Grange, 41, was found on a remote beach between Noordhoek and Cape Recife on Saturday, two days after he was last seen alive.
There was a bullet wound at the back of his head and his beach bag, containing binoculars, a kitchen knife, car radio and clothes, was found a short distance from the body.
The investigating officer, Inspector Marius Viljoen, said police were looking "widely" at possible motives for the brutal killing that has sent a wave of panic through the gay community.
He said that robbery has been ruled out as a motive because none of Le Grange's possessions had been stolen.
Police spokesperson, Superintendent Johan van Greunen, said Le Grange told his colleagues at Noordeinde prison that he might be taking a long weekend and they were not surprised when he didn't turn up for work on Thursday evening.
Passers-by reported Le Grange's red Golf, which was deserted along the road at Marine Avenue, to police on Thursday evening.
The matter was not followed up, but on Friday the deserted car was again reported.
Police had the car towed away on Saturday morning and started their search for Le Grange. His friends joined the search on Saturday afternoon and made the gruesome find.
The body was found on a sand dune, about 30 m from the sea. The wind had blown away all footprints.
There was no sign of a struggle and Le Grange was probably shot while he was lying on his stomach, unsuspectingly staring at the sea.
A man who regularly visits the beach, especially popular among gay men, said the news spread like wildfire through the gay community.
"We are petrified and will never go there again. I am sure homophobia was the motive for the murder," he said.
Inspector Mornay van Vuuren on the police's abalone task team, said the beach was a regular haunt of abalone smugglers and one of them could have suspected Le Grange of spying on them for the police.
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
The badly sunburned body of Johannes le Grange, 41, was found on a remote stretch of the nude beach two days after he was last seen alive.
Police said he had been shot in back of his head at very close range. There are few clues. Le Grange had been dead for two days when his body was discovered on a remote dune. Wind had blown away all footprints.
A police spokesperson said it appeared he had been lying on his stomach looking at the ocean when his killer approached. There was no sign of a struggle
His beach bag, containing binoculars, a kitchen knife, car radio and clothes, was found a short distance from his body.
Investigators said Sunday that robbery has been ruled out as a motive because none of Le Grange's possessions had been stolen.
The murder sent a shock wave through South Africa's gay community, still coming to terms with the massacre of eight gay men in a sex club in January.
©365Gay.com® 2003
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