Jean Vosloo and Mari Hoon: South African guesthouse owner found guilty of double murder after couple dies in shower

The tragedy occurred in Kareedouw, a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, after the guesthouse’s faulty gas water heating system caused a gas leak in April 2020.

The incident claimed the lives of Mari Hoon, 28, and Jean Vosloo, 25, who were on a weekend getaway before their wedding.

Gqeberha Regional Court Judge Vusiwe Mnyani delivered the verdict on January 24, stating that the owner, named as 51-year-old Kevin Pretorius, acted negligently by failing to maintain the gas system. The court heard that the system had not been serviced in years, posing a known risk to guests.

Photographs from the couple’s social media accounts showed them appearing young, happy, and in love.

The court revealed that multiple complaints about the guesthouse’s facilities had been ignored, with the owner prioritising cost-cutting over safety measures. Experts testified that the gas boiler was improperly installed, lacked ventilation, and had clear warning signs of malfunction.

Judge Mnyani said: "He did not act when he was warned of the gas smells and his conduct put the lives of his guests in danger. The evidence showed that he could have foreseen that the risk of death was possible, but he was willing to gamble with the lives of his guests."

The final hearing when Pretorius' sentence will be announced has been scheduled for March 28.

Story: NewsX