Henri
Did this young man from an affluent Stellenbosch family premeditate
their murder? The state has argued so. Here are all facts.
A timeline of events
by Cindy Archillies
The victims of the axe attack are Martin van Breda (54), his wife Teresa (55) and their eldest son Rudi (22). Younger son Henri (20) had minor wounds, while daughter Marli (16) sustained severe head wounds.
27 January 2015
News breaks of a family murder on the De Zalze Golf Estate near Stellenbosch in South Africa.
8 February 2015
Evidence emerges suggesting Henri van Breda may be a suspect in the murders.
13 June 2016
Henri van Breda reports to the police station in Stellenbosch in connection with the attack on his family.
6 September 2016
Henri van Breda and his girlfriend, Danielle Janse van Rensburg, are arrested for the possession of dagga.
19 October 2016
Henri van Breda and Danielle Janse van Rensburg appear in the Cape Town High Court. The charges are withdrawn.
3 February 2017
Henri van Breda’s pre-trial hearing starts in the Western Cape High Court.
24 April 2017
Henri van Breda pleads not guilty to the charges of murder and attempted murder.
1 November 2017
Henri van Breda spends his 23rd birthday on the witness stand.
2 November 2017
Henri van Breda re-enacts his scuffle with the alleged intruder.
12 February 2018
Closing arguments: the State argues pre-meditated murder.
27 March 2018
Judgment is postponed.
21 May 2018
Judgment is expected.
