1995: He Phoned a Journalist to Boast of 76 Victims: The Capture of the ABC Serial Killer

Moses Sithole murdered at least 37 women and a toddler across South Africa between July 1994 and late 1995, the killings spread between three towns so that newspapers dubbed him the ABC Killer. Police lost his trail that August after linking him to one victim and uncovering an earlier conviction for an assault on a woman, and the case went cold until Sithole himself broke the silence, phoning a journalist to claim the murders were revenge for his unjust imprisonment and boasting of 76 victims, twice the official count, before giving directions to a body to prove he was telling the truth.

The call let investigators close in, and on 6 November 1995 police cornered Sithole in Johannesburg. He attacked a constable with a hatchet during the confrontation and was shot by officers, bringing the manhunt to an end.

Moses Sithole: Last Stand
Moses Sithole: Last Stand

⬅ See all events from 6 November

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