Stewart Wilken

Prostitutes and Young Boys

It appears Wilkens first confirmed victim was murdered in February 1990. He was 15-year-old Monte Fiko. He was a street child, of which, unfortunately, there are quite many in South Africa. Wilken sodomized the boy at Cilliers Secondary School in Sydanham and strangled him.

On October 3, 1990, after an argument with his first wife, Wilken picked up a prostitute, Virginia Gysman, at Russel Road. She was 25. He payed her and took her to Dagbreek Primary School, where they had sex. He then penetrated her anally. When she complained, he strangled her with her clothing and ejaculated as she died. He left her body in the schoolyard.

On January 10, 1991, Wilken was solicited by Mercia Papenfus, age 37, at the Red Lion Hotel. They went to St. Georges Park. When Mercia demanded her payment before intercourse, Wilken flew into a rage and strangled her. Then he sodomized her and left her body in the park.

St Georges Park, S Africa

On October 21, 1991, Wilken met a 14-year-old street boy, who apparently agreed to have sex with him for money. Wilken took the boy to St. Georges Park. The boy wanted his money, which angered Wilken. The boy tried to flee, but Wilken overpowered him and sodomized him. He ejaculated as he strangled his victim.

In 1993, somewhere between June and September, Wilken met another young street child and solicited him. They went to Target Kloof, where Wilken sodomized and strangled the boy. He hid the body in the ravine.

On July 27, 1995, Wilken killed a prostitute again. Her name was Georgina Boniswa Zweni, aged 42, whom he took to Prince Alfreds Park. He sodomized and strangled her. He was still filled with lust and proceeded to sexually assault her with a knife. The forensic pathologist testified at Wilkens trial that the wound was star-shaped and it appeared as if the assailant had stuck in the knife, pulled it out, stuck it in and pulled it out repeatedly (Die Burger, 1998, p. 5). In all, he counted at least 20 stab wounds, which included a cluster of five next to her navel. He characterised it as a wild knife stabbing. Wilken also cut off her nipples and ate them at the scene. Her clothing was thrown into a fish pond.

On September 29, 1995, Wilken murdered his 10-year-old daughter, Wuane.

On May 25, 1996, he solicited a 22-year-old prostitute, Katriena Claassen, at the Albany Road interchange. They went down to the beach. Wilken shoved a piece of plastic bag down her throat to keep her from screaming, sodomized and strangled her.

Fort Frederick, South Africa

Somewhere between May and August of 1996, he met another street child, whom he took to Fort Frederick. After the boy masturbated him, Wilken told the boy to undress and sodomised him. The boy threatened to tell the police and Wilken strangled him. However, it is clear that he would have killed the boy anyway. He hid the body.

On January 22, 1997, Wilken murdered Henry Bakers.

Wilken told Sgt. Norsworthy that he returned to the bodies of the boys he had killed. He rubbed vinegar and butter on the boys feet to hide their scent from the police dogs. He rolled up pieces of newspaper and inserted it into their anuses to keep the maggots out, so that he could commit necrophilia. He denied having any sexual interaction with Wuane, both before her death and afterwards.