{"id":85946,"date":"2018-10-12T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T07:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/?p=85946"},"modified":"2018-10-16T16:14:28","modified_gmt":"2018-10-16T14:14:28","slug":"main-suspect-murder-case-disappears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/news-headlines\/2018\/10\/12\/main-suspect-murder-case-disappears\/","title":{"rendered":"Main suspect in murder case disappears"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alta Maree was a life-long Witbank resident, well known for her accolades as a South African javelin<\/a> gold medalist.
\nMaree went missing from her home in Clewer<\/a> on 19 February this year.<\/p>\n

Upon her disappearance, a missing persons case was opened but was changed to a murder investigation after remains were found in a shallow grave.
\nThe human remains were sent as evidence for DNA testing to confirm whether they belonged to Maree.<\/p>\n

Also read: Spiesgooi kampioen vermoor – medaljes opgespoor<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Dennis Sipho Motubatse (34) was taken into custody as a lead suspect after he pointed out the location of the body to the police.
\nMotubatse was released by the Witbank Magistrate Court after being granted bail of R1 500. He then went on the run.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A collage created by Alta’s family in memory of their lost loved one.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The well-known rugby administrator, Freddie Nel, spoke of how Maree took up javelin<\/a> as a sport in the first place.
\nDuring an inter-house tournament at General Hertzog, the team was short of a javelin<\/a> thrower.<\/p>\n

Maree was sitting in the pavilion eating hamburgers when a teacher called her closer.
\nShe tucked in her dress, took the javelin<\/a> for the first time, and with one throw she broke the inter-house record.<\/p>\n

Also read: Suid-Afrikaanse spiesgooi kampioen dalk vir muti vermoor<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1970, ’71, ’72 and ’73, Alta Maree came first in the South African javelin<\/a> championships.
\nAfter school, she qualified as a diesel mechanic and lived alone.<\/p>\n

Maree was attacked in her home in Clewer<\/a>, the carpets were ripped out and her weapons, ammunition and medals were all stolen.
\nHer driver\u2019s licence was found alongside the Ogies road.<\/p>\n

A family member told\u00a0www.mobserver.co.za<\/b><\/a>\u00a0that information was received of how Maree was tied to a tree for three days before being brutally murdered.
\nIt is alleged that some of her fingers were amputated for use in traditional medicine.<\/p>\n

Dina Hennings, Maree\u2019s sister, told www.mobserver.co.za<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0of how shocking it is to think of what Alta went through before being brutally killed.<\/p>\n

While Maree\u2019s sister is convinced that the DNA results will test positive, the murderer is still at large.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Dennis Sipho Motubatse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other News:<\/h3>\n

R10 000 reward for information<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018We should kill him\u2019 \u2013 Truck driver hears how hijackers argue about his fate<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

#TrafficUpdate: Avoid N4 near Machadodorp<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

VIDEO: Machadodorp two granted bail<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Want breaking news on the go?<\/h3>\n

\u2022 Save our standby number (072 248 3855) and send us a WhatsApp message with the words \u201cAdd me\u201d to be added to our broadcast list.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Like us on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>, follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Subscribe to our\u00a0YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0Click on the link<\/a>\u00a0to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter via email.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Have a news tip?<\/h3>\n

Contact our news room on our 24 hr standby number\u00a0072 248 3855, or send a mail to our editor\u00a0tobie@mobserver.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While the police are actively busy with a murder investigation, their lead suspect has disappeared without a trace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8164,"featured_media":83250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"Sjani Campher","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[12597,14122,14125,10010,14119,12898,14124,14120,14123,14121,10333],"class_list":["post-85946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-news","category-news-headlines","tag-alta-maree","tag-alta-maree-murder-suspect-on-the-run","tag-alta-maree-murderer-at-large","tag-local-news","tag-main-suspect-on-the-run","tag-middelburg-news","tag-murder-of-javelin-gold-medalist","tag-murder-suspect-on-the-run","tag-south-african-javelin-champion","tag-suspect-flees-after-bail","tag-trusted-news"],"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Local news"},"tag_labels":["Alta Maree","Alta Maree murder suspect on the run","Alta Maree murderer at large","local news","main suspect on the run","middelburg news","murder of javelin gold medalist","murder suspect on the run","south african javelin champion","suspect flees after bail","trusted news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8164"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=85946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/85946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=85946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=85946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=85946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}