David Thabo Simelane, nicknamed "The Beast of Swaziland," is known for raping and murdering 30 women and four babies in his country, being considered the only serial killer in the nation. Born in 1956, Simelane is classified as one of the most ruthless criminals in the world.
Simelane began his criminal history by being sentenced to six years in prison for theft and rape. After his release in 1998, his behavior worsened markedly, vowing revenge for his previous incarceration. From 1999 to 2001, he committed a series of murders that ceased when the Police arrested him in broad daylight.
The modus operandi of this criminal involved luring women under false pretenses, taking them to a forest where he would tie them up, rape them, and ultimately kill them. In some cases, he even decapitated the deceased victims. He then stole their belongings to finance his gambling activities.
The macabre discovery occurred when some farmers were searching for a lost cow and found body parts in the Usuthu-Pulp forest in Malkerns. After alerting the Police, 45 corpses were discovered, including the four babies murdered by Simelane.
In a subsequent trial, Simelane was found guilty of 28 homicides and sentenced to death by hanging. Despite the sentence, he showed zero remorse for his horrific crimes. Despite an appeal in 2011, the death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of Swaziland.
