Muller Cornelis Hermanus "Corrie"

In the early hours of 29 November 1994, tragedy struck the Muller family at their farm, “Sonskyn”, in the De Wagensdrift area near Cullinan, Pretoria. Cornelis Hermanus “Corrie” Muller, aged 71, and his wife, Jessie Louisa Muller, aged 68, were at home when three intruders entered the property. As he did every morning, Corrie went outside to check on his birds. At the time, he was building a large bird aviary on the property and regularly went out in the early morning to tend to the birds. When he returned to the house, he encountered the intruders in the corridor. A violent confrontation followed. Corrie was attacked and repeatedly stabbed, sustaining wounds all over his body. His hands and feet were bound, and a cloth was forced down his throat. He died from his injuries during the attack. The attackers ransacked the house, taking various possessions and gathering items to steal. During the attack, Jessie Muller was also assaulted and stabbed. She was left badly shaken by the ordeal. She later recalled that two of the attackers were masked, while the third, who appeared to be the ringleader, seemed to possess some form of military training. At approximately 8:00 that morning, Corrie and Jessie’s youngest son, Louis Muller, arrived at the farm to have breakfast with his parents. As he approached the house, he heard his mother shouting and calling for help from inside. Louis immediately ran into the house. The three attackers then fled. As they escaped, they knocked Louis to the ground before running from the house. The attackers escaped in Louis Muller’s bakkie. The vehicle was abandoned on a nearby farm, where the police were able to recover it. Some of the stolen property was also recovered. Jessie was taken to hospital for treatment for her stab wound and the shock following the attack. The murder prompted an extensive police investigation involving the Pretoria Murder and Robbery Unit and the Bronkhorstspruit Dog Unit. Despite the investigation, the identity and whereabouts of the attackers were never established. The murder of Cornelis Hermanus “Corrie” Muller was never solved, and the three attackers remain at large. Corrie and Jessie had lived and worked in the De Wagensdrift area for many years. The Muller family had owned and operated Wadrif Supermarket and Petrol Garage, making them a well-established part of the local community. Corrie was due to celebrate his 72nd birthday on 29 December 1994, only weeks after his death. He was survived by his wife, Jessie, and their four sons: Johan, Charles, Corrie and Louis. His death, coming so suddenly and violently in the place where he and his wife had made their home, left a lasting wound on the family.