Richard Jabulani Nyauza was born around 1970 in South Africa. Little is known about his early childhood or family background, but he lived most of his adult life in the Pretoria region. Described by neighbors as quiet and reclusive, Nyauza had no serious criminal record before 2002 other than minor offenses and had held casual jobs. However, his personal life was unstable, and he was reported to harbor resentment toward women after he contracted HIV from a partner around that time. 

Between 2002 and 2006, Nyauza moved frequently through low‑income communities around Olievenhoutbosch and Rossway Quarry on the outskirts of Pretoria. He lived off odd jobs and sometimes posed as a construction worker or driver.

Between 2002 and 2006, Richard Jabulani Nyauza embarked on a series of brutal attacks targeting women in the areas surrounding the Rossway Quarry near Olievenhoutbosch, Pretoria. His modus operandi involved luring women under various pretenses, leading them to secluded locations, and then assaulting them. The assaults often culminated in rape, followed by murder through strangulation, stabbing, or bludgeoning. Notably, he sometimes used a screwdriver as a weapon.

The initial wave of murders occurred between January and September 2002, with five unidentified black women found dead along the Riet River near Olievenhoutbosch. These cases remained unsolved for several years. In November 2005, after being acquitted of an attempted rape charge, Nyauza resumed his violent spree. From January to September 2006, he murdered eleven more women, employing similar methods.

A significant breakthrough occurred on August 17, 2006, when Nyauza attacked a pregnant woman near the Magaliesburg police station. He offered her a ride, but subsequently assaulted her with a screwdriver, robbed her, and left her for dead. Remarkably, she survived but suffered the loss of her unborn child, partial blindness in one eye, and impaired use of one hand.

On September 5, 2006, investigators matched DNA evidence from one of the victims to Nyauza, leading to his arrest. Upon searching his residence, police discovered items belonging to several victims. Despite initially confessing, Nyauza pleaded not guilty during his trial, which commenced on October 23, 2007. The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including DNA matches, victim belongings found in his possession, and testimonies from survivors. 

On November 5, 2007, Nyauza was convicted on multiple charges, including 16 counts of murder, four counts of rape, and three counts of robbery. He received 16 life sentences plus an additional 140 years in prison.