In the boot of his own car, the body of Dustan Blom had already started decomposing. A missing person docket for Blom (36), a Jukskei Park resident, was opened on 21 September. The IT wizz was last seen at a watering hole in Olivedale. The report stated he left with an unknown woman.
According to Warrant Officer Balan Muthan, spokesperson for Douglasdale Police Station, a postmortem by pathologists at Hillbrow Mortuary and Forensic Services showed that Blom had been strangled before being stuffed into his car.
The station’s Captain Jacques Swanevelder and Colonel Anesh Maharaj made quick work by visiting the victim’s house.
Interviews with neighbours revealed that a young woman had been staying at Blom’s house.
“They also found blood splatters as well as foot- and tekkie prints that were used to identify the suspects,” Muthan said.
When revisiting the casino and tracking CCTV footage taken at the entertainment complex, police made a positive identification to who was driving Blom’s car before his body was discovered. They also found that R150 000 was withdrawn from his bank accounts.
The woman staying at his house proved to be Maruschka Robinson (24). She was arrested on 25 September. During a police interview Robinson let it slip that another man was involved. She also alleged that they had sold one of Blom’s bank cards.
Police believe she and the accomplice strangled Blom before loading his body into the car to run amok with his finances.
The second suspect, Jean-Pierre Malan, was arrested in Randburg on 27 September. He and Robinson face charges of murder and theft. Both were expected to appear in court in October.
Malan was a repeat criminal according to police, and had previously been arrested on charges of drug manufacturing and vehicle theft.
The police investigation also brought to light that Blom’s wife Talita had died six months prior to his own death.
She died during labour, after giving birth to twins.
