Stewart Wilken was born on 11 November 1966 in Boksburg, South Africa. His early life was marked by tragedy and hardship. When Stewart was around six months old, his father abandoned him and his two-year-old sister in a telephone booth. A domestic servant discovered the children and took them to her employer, a man known as "Doep." For about 18 months, Wilken suffered severe physical and sexual abuse at the hands of this man. Sadly, his sister disappeared during this time.

When Stewart was about two years old, a couple named the Wilkens, who lived next door, adopted him. They found him malnourished and infested with lice. The Wilkens gave him the name Stewart Wilken, but he referred to himself as "Boetie Boer," which means "brother farmer" in Afrikaans. After his adoption, the family moved to Port Elizabeth.

Growing up, Stewart faced many challenges. He struggled in school and often misbehaved at home and in class. This led to frequent punishments for his actions. By the age of eight, he started smoking marijuana. Then, at nine years old, he experienced sexual abuse from a clergyman.
 

Stewart Wilken killed between 1990 and 1997 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. His victims included female prostitutes and young boys. He also murdered his daughter, Wuane. Wilken claimed he wanted to send her soul to God because he believed she was sexually abused by her stepfather.

He killed Henry Bakers, the son of his second wife. During a police interview, Wilken said he had sex with Henry's decomposing body. He also admitted to having eaten the nipples of one of his victims.
 

Wilken was arrested in January 1997. He was charged with ten counts of murder and five counts of sodomy on February 3, 1997. By February 20, 1998, he was convicted of seven murders and two counts of sodomy. Wilken received seven life sentences. Justice Chris Jansen informed him that he would have received the death penalty if it was still in place.

Forensic psychologist Micki Pistorius described Wilken as one of the worst sadists she had ever encountered.