A Cape Town family can begin their healing journey after the serial killer who ripped their lives apart was locked away for their daughter’s murder.
Johan Williams, 52, dubbed the Boland serial killer was sentenced last month after more than six years.
The serial rapist and killer was found guilty on 19 charges in the Western Cape High Court on February 19 which included six counts of kidnapping, five counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape, three counts of murder, a count of housebreaking with intent to commit arson, a count of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and failure to comply with a protection order.
His reign of terror took place between 2012 and 2018 in Wellington, in the Western Cape, and his modus operandi was luring women with the promise of a job opportunity.
On July 16, 2012, he kidnapped and murdered Natalie Jonkers after helping her to get a loan. She was buried on Helpmekaar Farm in 2012 until her skeletal remains were exhumed in 2018.
Williams raped and murdered Maria Isaacs, 33, from Malmesbury, who went to Wellington in June 2018 after he promised her a job.
During Isaacs’ disappearance, Chantell Matthyssen, 21, from Kuilsriver in Cape Town also went missing after meeting Williams, who had promised her a job in Wellington.
The bodies of Isaacs and Matthyssen were found on the same day in July 2018.
The bodies of the women were found in shallow graves on Aubon Rue Farm in the Boland area. Williams pointed out the location of the bodies despite maintaining his innocence throughout the trial.
During the trial, the court heard the women were all found tied up. They had a sock, scarf, or shoelaces tied around their necks, in a double or triple knot. Sticks were kept in the knots, so the person who tied the knots could tighten them. Ligature marks were also found around the necks of the women which was an indication of strangulation.
Speaking to IOL, Matthysen’s mother, Carol Petersen, 51, who attended almost every court appearance, said the extension of the trial took its course, not only on her but her family.
It was this mother’s instincts that led to the unveiling of a serial rapist and murderer.
Petersen, who knew her daughter realised something was amiss when the texts sent from her daughter did not match up to their usual chats, this included language, spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.
Matthysen’s failure to contact her mother for two days, after she had left for the job, resulted in Petersen’s motherly instincts kicking in and she ensured that the police reacted to her suspicions.
She was persistent and kept badgering police to find her daughter. Eventually, her daughter’s belongings were found in Williams’ Wendy house.
“It has been six years and four months. It was not easy. This case has been marred by delays. Mostly, on his end, he was either always pulling antics, firing his lawyers, doing everything to play with our emotions,” Petersen said.
“He would sit in that dock, no remorse, with a smug look on his face. Smirking when witnesses would testify and cry on the stand,” she said.
“I would sit there wondering if this could really all be true. How is this human? It seemed he got off watching people cry.”
Matthysen met Williams in 2016 when she had taken the wrong train with her son and ended up in Wellington.
At the time, Williams worked at the Wellington train station as a security guard and offered the mother and son shelter for the evening.
He also assisted in getting them back home safely. His kind gesture resulted in Matthysen’s grateful family inviting Williams and his family to Christmas lunch that year. Over time, he befriended the family.
In 2018, Williams told the young mother that his wife had a job lined up for her on a wine farm, as a packer.
“I cannot believe this is someone who we had braai’d with. Someone who was at my house. I recently looked at myself in the mirror and I didn’t recognise myself anymore,” Petersen said.
“I don’t smile. I lost trust in any and everyone. The free-spirited person I was is gone. I have built walls around me. I am broken in pieces and its not just us as a household but Chantell’s friends, our community. He broke and stole so much from everyone.”
She said her daughter’s friends still visit, however, the pain remains and they all shed a tear every time.
Williams was effectively sentenced to eight life sentences plus 60 years and the sentences were ordered to run concurrently. He will serve 25 years.
“I feel happy for the sentence that was handed down. We were all crying. That morning, before the sentencing my stomach was in knots,” Petersen said.
“He deserves it. While I feel he could have gotten more I am content. I just want to ensure he does not do this to anyone else. Nothing will ever bring back my child, but I will not allow him to do this to anyone else’s child either.”
She also believes the victims in this matter were not Williams’ only victims.
“In 2012, he killed Natalie. How did he all of a sudden just stop? I do not believe he stopped. He took Maria and Chantell basically a week apart,” she said.
“While my child was missing he was still online on his phone, and during that time he was speaking to other women. He must not get a hold of a cell phone. He will do it again.”
The duration of the trial not only took a toll emotionally on the family, but also took a toll on Petersen’s well-being.
“Before everything concluded, I could barely sleep. If I slept for two hours during the night it would be a lot. However, the Friday, following his sentencing, I just had this enormous amount of tiredness overcome me. I can tell you now, I sleep now. I even got my appetite back,” she said.
Petersen said her daughter would have beamed with pride if she had to see her son now.
“He is in Grade 4 now. He was only three-years-old going on four when his mother died. Even though she had him at 17, she was a true mother and never sought any assistance from us, even if I wanted to take the child and have her go out, she’d refused,” she said.
“There is not a day that goes by that I do not look at him and think what she would have said or done now. He is an avid rugby player and while I am so stressed at times fearing he would be injured, I know she would have been immensely proud of him.”
She also expressed her gratefulness that the mothers of the other victims could live to know their children got justice.
Chantell would have celebrated her 28th birthday this year.
“I also want to find out and ensure that I am on the list for the parole board. Too many parolees are released without the victims’ families knowing. I will do everything,” Petersen said.
“He must not come out. He needs to die there wherever he is. But now, my family and I start our healing journey and Chantell will always be remembered.”
IOL