Cops mum about cycle tour murder puzzle
25 March 2008, 14:33
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Relatives of the Durban visitor apparently murdered after the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour say they are struggling to get information from police and are battling to come to terms with his death.
No suspects have been arrested for the murder of the 25-year-old Amanzimtoti man who was found dead in Athlone two weeks ago.
Police spokesperson Bernadine Steyn said police are still investigating.
Allan Espitalier's body was found wrapped in a sleeping bag and dumped near a river in Athlone.
Police were unable to establish it was Espitalier's body for three days.
The family was in Cape Town for the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour at the time.
The Espitaliers are still reeling from shock at what they have called the senseless murder of their son and have said that they desperately need answers.
The family held a memorial service for the murdered man in Amanzimtoti last week.
Espitalier's remains were cremated in Cape Town, but the Espitaliers have decided to wait for their daughter to return from the US before scattering his ashes.
Espitalier's mother Lynn said her 18-year-old daughter was deeply saddened by her brother's death.
She would return to South Africa in July and the family would decide then where to scatter her brother's ashes.
Terry said they were still struggling to get information about what might have happened to their son from police.
"This is a total mystery to me. It's very difficult when you don't know what you are dealing with," Lynn said.
While police have said Espitalier might have died from head injuries caused by a blunt instrument, the Espitaliers said they were told that their son had been strangled, possibly with a towel.
Police said they could not confirm that strangulation with a towel was the cause of Espitalier's death.
Lynn said she vividly remembered warning her son about safety in Cape Town.
Lynn, who said she was "very paranoid" about drugs, said she had always warned her children not to have anything to do with drugs but added that she could not be certain that her son had not been involved with drugs.
"I just don't know what happened. I even drove past the area where we last saw Allan on the day we left," she said.
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