Themba Vilakazi
Themba Vilakazi | |
|---|---|
Themba Vilakazi c. 2016 | |
| Born | 1981 or 1982 (age 42–43) Soshanguve, Pretoria, South Africa |
| Other names | "The Railway Killer" "666" |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Conviction | Murder (x3) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment + 36 years |
| Details | |
| Victims | 3–5 killed 1 survived |
Span of crimes | 2005–2012 |
| Country | South Africa |
| State | Gauteng |
| Weapons | Knives |
Date apprehended | 2013 |
Themba "666" Vilakazi (born 1981–1982), also known as The Railway Killer, is a South African serial killer and satanist who murdered at least three black males along the railways of Pretoria between July and November 2005. His modus operandi typically consisted of undressing his victims, excessively stabbing them to the point of death, and taking their shoes. Although he claimed the murders were motivated by satanism, experts disputed this and alleged that they were sexually-motivated.
In 2013, he was arrested for a rape he committed the previous year, and was subsequently connected to the murders through DNA. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to three murders and was sentenced to life imprisonment as well as an additional 36 years.