Heideveld mother's bittersweet birthday after son’s tragic murder

A Heideveld mom had a bittersweet birthday after her son called her, sharing what he had planned for her special day but 15 minutes later she received the devastating news that he had been brutally murdered.

Carol Fisher said her son Carlyle, known as “Tan” had surprised her with a pair of sneakers on  Saturday, a day before her 47th birthday on Sunday.

The mom said: “I was sitting in the house and I just spoke to him like 15 minutes before I heard what happened.

"We still spoke about the plans he had for me. He was planning to make a potjie and to make it a beautiful day for me.

“He just told me to make sure I am washed and to make myself look pretty, because he bought his gift on Saturday for me so I could wear it on my birthday.

“I’m so broken up. I don’t know what to do or say. He loved me very much. He was the one who stood behind me after his father’s passing.”

Carlyle, 21, was the third eldest of five children and was more than a brother to his two younger sisters. Fisher said she looked up to him and he was her pillar.

Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk reported that Bishop Lavis registered a murder case on September 21, at 10.25am at the corner of Robert Sobukwe on N2 off ramp to Somerset West opposite Kreefgat (Netreg).

Van Wyk said: “According to reports SAPS members received a complaint of a person that was shot at the mentioned address and on their arrival the body of a male was found lying with several gunshot wounds to the head.”

He added the motive for the incident forms part of police investigations and the suspects are yet to be arrested.

Fisher suspects that her son was lured to where he was murdered.

She said: “He must’ve known the people who did this, because they killed him so brutally and shot him five times in the head. When I arrived at the scene I saw the body. When I saw his head I was in a state of shock."

She describes that the bullets had disfigured his face with half of it laying on the pavement and ground.

Fisher said her son was not involved in gangsterism and that the motive may be jealousy because he was an independent person who saw to himself.

Carlyle's bicycle, cash, jewelry and sneakers were stolen before the suspects fled the scene.

Anyone with information about this shooting incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or use the mobile application MySAPS anonymously.

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Cape Argus