In a devastating revelation that has intensified the grief surrounding one of South Africa’s most shocking wilderness murders, the final message sent by 71-year-old Ernst Marais to his loved ones has emerged – a cheerful update full of excitement and love, sent just hours before he and his 73-year-old wife Dina were savagely stabbed, bound, and dumped into a river teeming with deadly crocodiles.

The ordinary-sounding text, filled with the joy of a dream retirement trip, now stands as a haunting goodbye from a gentle couple who lived for nature, only to be slaughtered in what police believe was a brutal encounter with ruthless poachers.

Ernst and Dina Marais, the devoted Mossel Bay couple whose retirement revolved around coastal calm and bushveld adventures, entered Kruger National Park on May 17, 2026, for what family described as a special getaway to celebrate Dina’s recent 73rd birthday. They were last seen alive on the morning of May 20 at the Pafuri picnic site in the remote northern section of the park, near the notorious Crooks’ Corner where the Levubu and Limpopo rivers converge.

Shortly after that sighting, Ernst reached out to family members – the nieces and nephews who were like children to the couple – sharing their delight at being deep in the wild. “We’re having the most wonderful time,” the message reportedly conveyed, painting a picture of happy game drives, breathtaking wildlife sightings, and the simple pleasures the pair cherished most. It was the kind of upbeat note that had become typical of their travels: full of warmth, gratitude, and anticipation for more adventures together.

No one could have imagined it would be their last communication.

Hours later, contact went ominously silent. The couple failed to return to their accommodation as scheduled. A frantic search was launched involving rangers, helicopters, and ground teams. Then came the stomach-churning discovery on May 22: tourists at a scenic lookout spotted two bodies floating in the crocodile-infested waters. What investigators found has horrified the nation.

Both Ernst and Dina had been repeatedly stabbed with a sharp object in a frenzied, brutal attack. Their hands were cruelly tied behind their backs before they were dragged to the riverbank and thrown in – a calculated move, sources say, to let the crocodiles destroy the evidence of the slaughter. Their green Ford Ranger double-cab bakkie was hijacked, with tire tracks leading toward the Mozambique border, suggesting the killers may have fled across the frontier.

A Loving “Dad” Whose Final Words Were Full of Joy

Though Ernst and Dina had no biological children of their own, they poured their hearts into their extended family. Nephew Hjalmar van Gessellen and other nieces and nephews considered them surrogate parents – warm, adventurous figures who filled their lives with camping trips, stories of the wild, and unconditional love.

The last message from Ernst was received with smiles at first. It captured the essence of the man: optimistic, nature-obsessed, and deeply in love with his wife of many years. “They were soft-hearted people who loved camping and exploring,” van Gessellen recalled. “They had a deep love for Mossel Bay and the South African bushveld.” That final cheerful note now feels like a knife twist for the family – ordinary words from a husband simply sharing happiness with the people he cherished most.

Family members say the couple treated their trips to Kruger like sacred rituals. They owned a second property on a wildlife estate in Hoedspruit, allowing them to spend extended time near the park they adored. Ernst, a retired quantity surveyor, and Dina balanced their time between the peaceful shores of Mossel Bay and the raw thrill of the African wilderness. Their final journey was meant to be another chapter in a lifetime of shared discovery.

Instead, it became a nightmare.

Police: They Likely Interrupted Poachers – And Paid With Their Lives

Limpopo Police and SANParks investigators strongly suspect the couple stumbled upon a poaching syndicate operating in the remote Pafuri area – a hotspot for rhino horn trafficking where armed gangs show zero mercy to witnesses. The level of violence revealed in autopsy reports – multiple deep stab wounds, hands bound, bodies discarded in crocodile waters – points to a desperate, sadistic effort to silence them permanently.

A senior source close to the case described it as “a very brutal attack,” noting the killers’ cold calculation in feeding the evidence to the crocs. Nile crocodiles in that stretch of the Limpopo are notorious for making bodies vanish without a trace. The fact that the remains were spotted at all is being called a grim twist of fate.

The missing vehicle and cross-border tire tracks have triggered a major manhunt involving South African authorities and potential cooperation with Mozambican counterparts. Cases of murder and hijacking have been opened, but no arrests have been made yet.

Family’s Anguish: “His Last Words Were So Full of Life”

The revelation of Ernst’s final message has unleashed fresh waves of heartbreak among the tight-knit family and the Mossel Bay retirement community where the couple was beloved. Neighbors remember them as a “lovely couple” – kind, inseparable, always ready with a story from their latest adventure.

For the nieces and nephews who stepped into the role of children, the pain is unimaginable. “He was like a dad to us,” one family member shared emotionally. “That last message – talking about how wonderful everything was – it’s something we’ll hold onto forever, even as it breaks our hearts.”

They describe Ernst as the steady, optimistic voice in the family, the one who encouraged everyone to get outdoors and appreciate South Africa’s natural beauty. Dina complemented him perfectly – warm, adventurous, and deeply bonded with her husband after decades together. Their love story was one of quiet companionship and shared passions.

Now, that story has been violently cut short in a place they trusted and adored.

Kruger’s Dark Side Exposed: Is Paradise No Longer Safe?

The double murder has sent shockwaves through South Africa’s tourism industry and conservation community. Kruger National Park, a two-million-hectare icon famous for its Big Five and multi-billion-rand economic impact, has long battled poaching syndicates. While attacks on visitors remain rare, this case – involving two pensioners on a peaceful birthday celebration – has shattered any sense of guaranteed safety.

SANParks has responded by deploying additional rangers, increasing surveillance in the Nxanatseni North Region, and issuing statements reassuring visitors. But for the Marais family, such measures come too late. They are demanding swift justice and stronger action against the wildlife crime networks they believe are responsible.

Back in Mossel Bay, the community mourns quietly but intensely. Candles burn, memories are shared, and funeral arrangements are pending as the family processes the trauma. Ernst’s sister in Plettenberg Bay is among those reeling from the loss.

A Cheerful Goodbye That Echoes With Tragedy

Ernst Marais’ last message – simple, joyful, full of the wonder he felt in the bush – now serves as both a treasured keepsake and a painful reminder of what was stolen. In those final words, he captured the spirit of a man who lived fully, loved deeply, and found peace in nature’s embrace.

Little did he know that danger lurked just beyond the next waterhole.

As the manhunt continues and security tightens across Kruger, the family clings to that message while pushing for answers. They want the killers found. They want poaching syndicates dismantled. Above all, they want Ernst and Dina’s legacy to mean something – a call for safer wild spaces and justice for two innocent souls who only wanted to enjoy the beauty they had cherished for so long.

The final message from the bush was one of happiness. The reality that followed was pure horror.

South Africa is watching. The world of nature lovers is mourning. And somewhere in the shadows, the monsters who silenced Ernst Marais’ cheerful voice may soon hear the footsteps of justice closing in.

Rest in peace, Ernst and Dina. Your last words of joy will not be forgotten – they will fuel the fight for the wild places you loved.