/ 1 January 2002

East London man dies in suspected satanic killing

POLICE believe that Satanism is linked to the discovery of the body of a man found floating in a swimming pool at a house in East London on Sunday.

”The motive for the killing has not been established but a slogan sprayed onto the fridge in the kitchen has led police to speculate that the killing may have been a Satanic attack,” Superintendent Eddie Watson said on Monday.

The fully clothed body of Gunther Walter Brandstetter (21) was spotted in the pool by a neighbour around 5pm.

”A drowning incident was reported, but on arrival police established that the victim had been murdered,” Watson said.

”It appeared as though Brandstetter was hit behind the head with a sharp instrument inside the house. His body was later dragged to the swimming pool and thrown into the water.”

All the doors to the house were found open and on investigation police found blood splattered over the walls and floors in the kitchen and dining room area.

”There was obviously a big struggle before Brandstetter died, presumably from a loss of blood,” Watson said.

There were also signs that the killer or killers had attempted to wash down the blood stains on the wall and on the floor, Watson said. Brandstetter’s parents were apparently away at Hogsback for the weekend.

Watson said Brandstetter had a history of being involved in Satanism. He was involved in a ritual killing in 1998 with his brother, but was not prosecuted when they turned State witness in that case. ? Sapa