A Free State woman was convicted on Monday of being part of an occult murder in Welkom earlier this year.
Virginia Circuit Court Judge Albert Kruger, found Chane van Heerden, 20, guilty of murder, robbery and of dismembering Michael van Eck’s body in a graveyard in April.
Van Heerden pleaded guilty to all the charges. Her lawyer Leona Smit read out the plea before Kruger convicted her.
Van Heerden and Maartens van der Merwe, 24, have been charged with luring Van Eck, 23, to the Welkom cemetery where he was killed and dismembered.
In her plea, Van Heerden said she and Van der Merwe were in a relationship. They studied occult literature and practised their own rituals.
She said Van der Merwe had suggested they tackle something more challenging.
“We then decided to look for a human victim.”
Some of Van Eck's remains were found in a shallow grave at the cemetery while others were found in the couple's fridge, cupboard and garden.
His death was linked to a meeting on the cellphone social network 2go.
On Monday, the court separated the trials of Van Heerden and Van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe’s lawyer Sunette Kruger told the court he would get further psychiatric evaluation before a plea would be entered.
Van der Merwe was apparently diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2001, at the age of 14. He was thought to have stopped taking his medication.
He was referred for 30-days of psychiatric evaluation during an initial court appearance.
The trial continues. – Sapa