SWAKOPMUND - Murder suspect, Ivan Pitt (29), wanted by the police in connection with the brutal murder of his girlfriend Lindie Prinsloo was found dead on Monday morning.
Pitt’s body was discovered hanging in the garage of the house, he was renting with Prinsloo in Harder Street, Swakopmund before lunchtime. Meanwhile, his family is outraged by the fact they had to learn about Pitt’s death via social media as well as his suicide pictures.
Pitt’s mother said she came to know about her son’s death through a phone call from England from Pitt’s former partner.
The family rushed to the couple’s communal home yesterday to confirm whether he indeed committed suicide after his picture surfaced on Facebook.
“My granddaughter’s mother called me and asked me whether it is true that Pitt committed suicide after she saw a picture of him hanging on Informante’s Facebook page. It was shocking. I have no words for what was done,” she said.
A close friend of the couple also said that they were utterly disgusted by the circulation of Pitt’s picture on social media. Saying that they also learned about Pitt’s suicide on social media. “I don’t know how people take such images and share it. Regardless of what the situation is, we are all human beings and are guilty until proven in the court of law, hence I believe that Pitt also deserved some dignity, at least from the media,” said the friend.
Police on Friday launched a nationwide manhunt for Pitt after Prinsloo, a known coastal artist was found in her bathroom with a gaping neck injury to which she is said to have succumbed.
Pitt was last seen driving away with Prinsloo’s car, a white Kia hatchback.
It is suspected Pitt allegedly returned over the weekend to Swakopmund and slipped in un-noticed into the house whereby he hanged himself in the garage.
The car was found next to his lifeless body.
Shocked family members of Pitt as well as onlookers gathered at the house while the police were preparing to remove Pitt’s body from the house. It is not clear at this stage whether Pitt had left a suicide note.
Another murder suicide…Ivan Pitt’s body being removed by police from the garage.