Manhunt for Amanzimtoti local in 2014 Doonside murder
Both 18-years-old at the time, Shannon’s body was found in coastal bush near Doonside Beach on November 14, 2014.
AN international manhunt is underway for Amanzimtoti’s Dylan Taljaard (23), after police linked him to the 2014 murder of ex-girlfriend Shannon Lee Roberts.
Both 18-years-old at the time, Shannon’s body was found in coastal bush near Doonside Beach on November 14, 2014.
The Sun reported on Roberts’ murder that the teen had sustained three stab wounds and her body was discovered close to a few ‘bankies’ of dagga.
The case remained unresolved with no arrests or major developments taking place in the last four years.
Read also: Murdered teen a ‘loved but troubled girl’
Dylan has been backpacking abroad since 2016. Departing South Africa, movement control showed he landed and checked in at Dubai and since then, his passport hasn’t been picked up. Further investigations by the Isipingo Priority Crimes Unit, where the case was moved to from Amanzimtoti SAPS, found Dylan posted a photo of himself on Facebook in Argentina last year, leading authorities to suspect he’s travelling using false identification. This has not been confirmed as yet.
After a warrant was issued for his arrest in August 2018, Interpol placed a red alert on its page. However, the international network of police forces only updated the profile with a photo of Dylan (now 23), including his tattoo reading ‘Pain is just a moment’ recently.
It is alleged that Dylan’s family had last heard from him when he was in South America last October.
Read also: Police berate teen murder social media commentators
Shannon’s adopted father, Gavin Roberts hasn’t stopped fighting for closure in the case.
“While his parents deny it, I believe Dylan was very well aware of the warrant issued for his arrest in August 2018. As soon as I saw the warrant I posted a screenshot of it on Facebook. Both he and his mother immediately deleted their Facebook profiles and Dylan deleted his ‘couch-surfing’ profile too,” he said. “If he was innocent, as many believe, why has he not returned to South Africa to face trial? He is now effectively a fugitive of justice.”
Gavin elaborated on flaws in the initial investigation, including the failure to consider CCTV footage and failure to take a statement from Dylan.
Read also: Murdered teen laid to rest while investigation continues
“I pushed and pushed until this case was moved from Toti SAPS to the Isipingo Priority Crimes Unit. Since Detective Rajan Govender has taken over the case, he has been brilliant. He had to basically build the case up from scratch but he’s making great progress,” said Gavin.
The Sun sought comment from Dylan’s family, but they declined the opportunity. “Neither me nor anyone else from my family will be commenting on the matter,” said father Wynand Taljaard.
Anyone with information about the case can contact Isipingo Priority Crimes Unit’s Warrant Officer Rajan Govender on 079-500-0810.
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