Keith Derek

During the violent farm invasion, Derrick Keith was ambushed at his home by a gang of four armed perpetrators. The attackers tied a wire tightly around his neck to restrain him and then bludgeoned him severely on the head with a hammer. His wife, Julie Keith, was also physically assaulted during the raid. The perpetrators ransacked the premises, stole two firearms, and fled the property using the family's Isuzu bakkie utility vehicle. Derrick Keith was discovered with critical head injuries and strangled by the wire. Paramedics rushed him to a local hospital, but he succumbed to severe head trauma and died shortly after admission.Following the attack, a swift investigation was launched by the Port Shepstone murder and robbery detectives. On Wednesday, 9 August 2000, the police tracked down and successfully arrested two male suspects near Port Edward. Investigators also located and recovered the stolen Isuzu bakkie. One of the apprehended men was identified by police as a recently dismissed employee of Derrick Keith.