A KwaZulu-Natal detective has been tasked with investigating if the murders of three women in Mtwalume on the south coast are the work of one killer.

Provincial police spokesperson Brig Jay Naicker said at this stage police could not confirm if a serial killer was behind the murders of the three women, aged 16, 23 and 25 years.

“We have allocated both cases to a single detective, who will be looking into the possibility of the same killer being involved. At this stage, we cannot confirm that, however we will be roping in our investigative psychology unit to assist our detective in this investigation.”

He said the three women were killed in two separate incidents and their bodies were found in two different locations in the Hibberdene policing area.

Two sisters, aged 16 and 25 went missing on March 28.

Naicker said hunters found their bodies in a sugar cane field at the Mnafu Location.

“The bodies were in an advanced stage of decomposition and they were identified by the family through the clothing found next to the bodies. DNA specimens from both the deceased were forwarded to our laboratory services.”

The third victim went missing on June 28. A different group of hunters found her body in a sugar cane field on July 6.

“The body was not so badly decomposed so a post-mortem was conducted and it confirmed that she died as a result of a stab wound to the chest.