Bio

Stephanus Andries Johannes Swart was born in July 21,1888 in South Africa. As he grew older, he became a farmer in the Charlestown district of KwaZulu-Natal. His life was marked by conflicts and violence. Swart struggled with many personal issues, including problems with authority and feelings of being persecuted.

Stephanus married a woman who was thirty years older than him. There were rumors in the community that he married her for her wealth, as she owned several farms left to her by her deceased husband. Their marriage appeared to be loveless, which caused resentment among some of his in-laws.

Swart had a difficult past with the law. He was involved in a civil suit, which he believed was unfair to him. He felt that he had been treated unjustly, and this belief festered over time. His anger led him to commit violent acts, including a serious assault on a relative that resulted in an eighteen-month prison sentence. He felt this punishment was a personal attack by the authorities.

After his release from prison, Swart returned to his wife, who was living separately on another farm. His life became even more complicated when he was accused of incest in early 1927. He struggled to raise the bail money needed for his case as he refused to sell his livestock, believing that he could only trust himself to take care of them.

As the trial date approached, he became increasingly agitated. He threatened witnesses against him, including his wife and a farm manager, to prevent them from testifying. During this time, Swart felt immense pressure from various sources in his life. In late April 1927, he was fined for driving an unlicensed vehicle, which added to his stress.

On May 3, 1927, Swart shot at a neighbor without any explanation. This act led the police to pursue him, and they sought to arrest him for attempted murder. He began plotting revenge and even summoned his attorney to discuss his personal affairs, displaying signs of deep mental disturbance. 

Murder Story

On May 6, 1927, in Charlestown, South Africa, Stephanus Swart committed a series of violent acts that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. Swart had a history of aggressive behavior, which culminated in this day of violence. The events began when he shot at a neighbor, Mr. Lourens, on May 3, 1927, leading the police to pursue him. He initially prepared a lengthy suicide statement after setting his car on fire.

Early on May 6, the police confronted Swart at his farmhouse, delivering a letter urging him to turn himself in. He refused and expressed a desire for an oak, zinc-lined coffin, declaring that he would shoot anyone who approached his property after 6 PM. This prompted the police to gather a group to arrest him the next day.

Before the police could act, Swart initiated a shooting spree. He killed five officers, including Captain Gerald C. Ashman and Sergeant Annes van Wyk, and wounded another. After taking a police horse and revolver, he informed a neighbor of his intent to kill more individuals—specifically, three people in Charlestown—before taking his own life.

On his way into Charlestown, he killed two more people on the road, Fannie Knight and G. Roets, who were witnesses against him in a separate case. Swart then targeted his estranged wife, Annie Swart, shooting her multiple times in her house. Afterward, he fired at a car that passed on the main road, injuring two more individuals.

As the police mobilized to find him, Swart engaged them in a tense encounter. Witnesses spotted him aiming his rifle, and several officers were injured or killed during the shootout. Ultimately, with police closing in, Swart shot himself with the stolen revolver, ending his violent rampage. In total, Swart killed eight people on that day, including his wife, and wounded three others.