Jesse Hess: Cousin becomes main suspect, on the run after alleged rape

According to Die Son, Jesse Hess’s cousin is said to be the main suspect after raping a 16-year-old girl in Hanover Park, Cape Town on Monday, 11 November 2019. 

SAPS spokesperson, Captain FC Van Wyk could confirm that that the mentioned person is of interest to the investigation of Hess and her grandfather’s murder. “Circumstantial evidence currently links him to the crimes,” said Van Wyk. 

“He is also positively linked to a rape and robbery of an incident which occurred on Monday 11 November 2019 in Hanover Park, where a 16 year girl was raped. He is currently wanted for the incident on Monday and is currently on the run,” he said. 

“This office can confirm that a 16-year-old female was raped at house premises at Lynberg Road, Hanover Park, at about 07:45. A male suspect is still  at large and the arrests are yet to be made” Van Wyk added. 

No arrests made two months after Hess murder 

Two months after Hess and her 85-year-old grandfather, Chris Lategan were found dead in their family’s Parow flat on August 30, no one had been arrested.

The first-year University of the Western Cape theology student was found on a bed, while Chris, her grandfather, was discovered tied up in the toilet.

The family moved out of the one-bedroom council unit that same day. They took only their clothes, not wanting anything else in the once happy home that had become a crime scene.

Campaign to stop gender-based violence 

Global movements against gender-based violence met to discuss the ongoing problem after Hess was one of many young girls to be brutally raped and murdered. 

“All of the statistics on violence against women and girls are unacceptable, in all parts go the world. We’ve known the prevalence of violence against women and girls is 35% globally and as high as 80% some in very fragile settings, but we also know that violence is preventable and these rates can change if we have the right partnerships and real resources dedicated to reverse this pandemic,” said Gary Barker, chief executive Promundo and Sexual Violence Research Initiative forum delegate.

New technology was discussed at the forum in the aiding against violence including DNA testing in cases of rape. 

“But none of this new technology works if we don’t have staff to respond, if women and children don’t have protective services and if our workplaces, schools and other places continue to turn a blind eye to violence,” said Barker. 

Help find the suspect on the run

“The matter referred to is still under investigation and no arrests have been made as yet. Detectives are following up on all leads and working around the clock in an effort to solve this case,” said Van Wyk. 

Van Wyk urges anyone with any information about the incident to kindly requested to contact the investigation officer Detective Lt Col Adrian Pretorius on 082 777 8499 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.