On 27 January 2015, Martin van Breda, 54, his wife Teresa, 55, and their eldest son Rudi, 22, were found dead in their home at a golf estate in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. All three had been attacked with an axe. Their daughter Marli, 16, was found in critical condition with severe head trauma, and the youngest son, Henri van Breda, 20, sustained only minor lacerations. Marli survived after months of surgery and treatment but was left with retrograde amnesia and no memory of the attack.
According to court papers, Henri called his girlfriend at 4:42 a.m., which went unanswered, then searched online for local emergency numbers before calling emergency services nearly three hours later, describing an attack by "a guy with an axe." Police who arrived at the scene found an axe and a knife, both traced to the residence, with no evidence of forced entry. Henri was reportedly wearing sleep shorts and white socks stained with blood matching the DNA of his parents and brother. Court papers alleged that after the killings, Henri tampered with the crime scene, inflicted injuries on himself, and gave false information to mislead investigators about the identity of the attacker.
Following an 18-month police investigation, Henri surrendered to police on 13 June 2016 after being warned of his impending arrest, and was released on bail the next day. He appeared in Stellenbosch Magistrate Court facing three counts of murder, one of attempted murder, and one of defeating the ends of justice. During the pre-trial period, Henri and his girlfriend were separately arrested for cannabis possession in September 2016.
The trial began on 4 April 2017 in the Western Cape High Court, where Henri pleaded not guilty and testified that the family had been attacked by an intruder described as an axe-wielding man wearing a balaclava-type mask and gloves. On 21 May 2018, presiding Judge Siraj Desai found Henri guilty on all counts: three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and obstruction of justice. He was taken into custody immediately and transferred to the hospital section of Pollsmoor Prison for treatment related to epilepsy and depression.
On 7 June 2018, Henri van Breda was sentenced to three concurrent life terms for the murders of his father, mother, and brother, fifteen years for the attempted murder of his sister, and twelve months for obstruction of justice, with all sentences running concurrently. He was subsequently transferred to Drakenstein Correctional Centre. On 7 November 2018, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application for leave to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.
Rudi van Breda, Marli van Breda, Martin van Breda, Teresa van Breda
Date
2015
Location
Golf estate, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
Case status
solved
Case timeline
2015-01-27
Martin, Teresa, and Rudi van Breda were found dead of axe wounds at their home in Stellenbosch; Marli van Breda was found critically injured, and Henri van Breda had minor lacerations.
2016-06-13
Henri van Breda surrendered to police after being warned of imminent arrest.
2016-06-14
Henri van Breda appeared in Stellenbosch Magistrate Court on charges of three counts of murder, one of attempted murder, and defeating the ends of justice; he was released on bail.
2016-09-06
Henri van Breda and his girlfriend were arrested for cannabis possession by Table View police.
2017-04-04
Trial against Henri van Breda began in the Western Cape High Court; he pleaded not guilty.
2018-05-21
Henri van Breda was found guilty of three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and obstruction of justice by the Western Cape High Court.
2018-06-07
Henri van Breda was sentenced to three concurrent life terms for murder, fifteen years for attempted murder, and twelve months for obstruction of justice.
2018-06-08
Henri van Breda was transferred from Pollsmoor Prison to Drakenstein Correctional Centre.
2018-11-07
The Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed Henri van Breda's application for leave to appeal his conviction and sentence.
Best coverage
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Family Murdered in 'Fortress Mansion' as Son Blames Phantom Intruder | Henri van Breda Case Analysis
People
Rudi van Breda
VICTIM
Eldest son of Martin and Teresa van Breda; killed in the 27 January 2015 axe attack.
Marli van Breda
VICTIM
Daughter of Martin and Teresa van Breda; survived the attack with severe head trauma and retrograde amnesia.
Martin van Breda
VICTIM
Managing director of the Australian branch of Engel & Völkers; killed in the 27 January 2015 axe attack.
Henri van Breda
CONVICTED
Youngest son of Martin and Teresa van Breda; found guilty on 21 May 2018 of three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and obstruction of justice, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Teresa van Breda
VICTIM
Wife of Martin van Breda; killed in the 27 January 2015 axe attack.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Three members of the van Breda family were killed with an axe at their home on a golf estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, in January 2015, while the youngest son was convicted of the murders in 2018 after a lengthy trial.
Where did the murder happen?
Golf estate, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Who was convicted?
Henri van Breda (Youngest son of Martin and Teresa van Breda; found guilty on 21 May 2018 of three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and obstruction of justice, and sentenced to life imprisonment.).
