Paul Johannes Meyer, who allegedly murdered his ex-wife and two daughters, aged four and nine, at the Robertsham hotel south of Johannesburg on Thursday and also allegedly killed four people in Albertville on Wednesday, shot himself and died in Kroonstad, Free State police reported on Friday.
Police spokesperson Rosa Benade said Meyer was certified dead on arrival at the Boiphumelo hospital.
Police had received information from a member of the public who spotted Meyer’s car in the area.
Meyer was stopped by police next to the Vals river and shot himself in the mouth while police were searching his vehicle.
Benade said the revolver found in the white Volkswagen Citi Golf with the registration number CXF 607 GP was registered in his name.
The vehicle was found to be registered in the name of Rudolf Jacobus Niemann, one of the four people allegedly killed by Meyer in Albertville.
A police task team of about 30 people, led by Captain Tony Naidoo of Johannesburg’s serious and violent crimes unit, was searching for Meyer (35) following the murder of his two daughters and his ex-wife at the Robertsham hotel.
Police earlier wanted to interview Meyer following a quadruple murder in Albertville in western Johannesburg on Wednesday.
A domestic worker on Wednesday found the bodies of three women and a man at their home.
Vicky (4), Monica (9) and their mother, Adriana Christina Meyer (34), were found dead by a cleaner in a pool of blood in a room at the Robertsham hotel at about 2.30am on Thursday, police spokesperson Captain Schalk Bornman said.
He said the Meyers booked into the hotel late on Wednesday night but Paul left early on Thursday morning without settling the bill.
The cleaner informed the hotel manager who alerted the police. The victims were shot in the head.
”We believe it is the same person who killed four people in Albertville,” Bornman said.
Police Superintendent Piet Byleveld of the serial crime special investigative unit said he did not believe this was a serial murder spree.
”Something must have triggered it,” he said.
The Albertville victims have been identified as Cindy Jeffrey (21), Linda van Rooyen (in her late thirties), Rosanne Lamb (in her mid-twenties) and Niemann (53), who was found inside a granny flat on the premises.
Meyer was said to be armed with a 9mm pistol, a .357 revolver and a R1 assault rifle. — Sapa