Convinced that his former partner in crime Jan Moller had swindled him, habitual criminal Stephanus van Wyk came out of prison in July 1930, and went in search of Moller. The two men went for a car ride together and some time later Moller was found dead on farmland, his head smashed in.
By the body was a pair of socks with S van W sewn into them.
Wyk was charged with murder but claimed at his trial that he hit Moller accidentally while they were both looking for loot buried from their last robbery together. He was acquitted.
Three months later Wyk negotiated with a farmer, Cyril Tucker, to buy his property. As they finalised the deal, Wyk hit Mr. Tucker over the head with a hammer, killed him, and took over his farm.
Arrested again for murder, Wyk said Mr. Tucker attacked him first and he was forced to act in self-defence. This time he was found guilty and while in the death cell in Pretoria Central Prison he confessed to having murdered Jan Moller. He was hanged on Friday, June 12th, 1931.