A trio of alleged cannibal killers have been arrested in South Africa after one of them handed himself over to police saying he had lost the taste for human flesh.
The suspect entered a police station in Estcourt, South Africa, telling shocked officers ‘I’m tired of eating human flesh’, as he handed over part of a human leg and a hand.
Police arrested the three men, aged 22, 29 and 32, after more gruesome remains were found in a nearby house, leading to the discovery of a woman’s mutilated body.
Cannibals: The three men were arrested in after one of them handed himself over to police, admitting that he had grown tired of eating human flesh, and officers were led to a house,pictured, where bodyparts and a mutilated body of a woman was found
The trio allegedly raped and murdered the woman before butchering the body and eating the flesh.
Crowds of residents gathered outside Estcourt magistrates court Monday as the trio appeared on murder charges alongside a fourth man, 31, are also accused of possessing human flesh and tissues.
They were all remanded in custody and are due to reappear in court next week.
Stunned local councillor Mthembeni Majola said one of the suspects led community members and police to the woman’s body.
‘It was buried under big rocks and we had to call a machine to remove the rocks,’ he told News24.
Gone vegetarian: One of the killers walked into the police station in Estcourt, pictured, and told officers that he had become ‘tired of eating human flesh’
‘They showed us the body parts in one of the houses.
Mr Majola added that authorities fear the group had killed more victims, saying: ‘it cannot only be one.’
‘When the police were following this matter they discovered eight ears in a pot where one man was staying. That means there is much more to this.’
Police spokeswoman Captain Charmaine Struwig said: ‘Three of the suspects face charges of murder and charges relating to the possession of human organs and tissue.
Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said the man handed over bodyparts during questioning
‘A fourth suspect faces charges relating to the possession of human organs and tissue.
‘The three suspects are alleged to have murdered a woman and then cut her body up.
‘Allegations are that some consumed some of her flesh while some of her body parts were shared with the fourth suspect in Amangwe.
‘Human remains were found at one crime scene in Estcourt and another crime scene at Amangwe.
‘At this time only one person is suspected of having been killed and her identity is as yet unknown.’
Another spokeswoman, Colonel Thembeka Mbhele, said the three main suspects were arrested on Friday night after one walked into Estcourt police station with his ‘tired of eating human flesh’ bombshell.
She said: ‘When he was questioned, he produced part of a human leg and a hand.
‘Further investigation led police to a house where they were met with a foul smell, and more human remains were found.
‘A second suspect was also arrested in Estcourt and a third in the Amangwe area. More body parts were found.
‘It is alleged the suspects raped, killed and cut up the body of a woman, which they then consumed.’