In a tragedy that has sent shockwaves across South Africa, police have revealed the heartbreaking final message sent by 71-year-old Ernst Marais to his daughter – a simple, loving text that now stands as the last known words from a devoted father who would soon meet a horrific end.

Ernst Marais and his wife Dina, 73, both from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, were on what should have been a dream holiday in Kruger National Park. The retired couple, known for their deep love of nature and wildlife, entered the park on May 17, 2026. They were last seen alive on the morning of May 20 at the Pafuri picnic site in the remote northern section of the reserve. What followed was a nightmare that no family should ever endure.

According to police, the couple failed to return to their accommodation, triggering an urgent search operation involving ground teams and helicopters. On May 22, horrified tourists spotted two bodies floating in the Limpopo River near Crooks Corner – a wild, crocodile-infested area where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique meet. Both Ernst and Dina had suffered multiple stab wounds to the upper body. Their hands had reportedly been tied behind their backs before they were dumped into the river.

In the hours leading up to the attack, Ernst sent a tender message to his daughter: “Love you, my girl.” Those ordinary words, now heavy with unbearable finality, have left the family devastated. Friends and neighbors described the Marais couple as kind, quiet, and deeply in love – retired but still full of life, often traveling to enjoy the bushveld they cherished.

Their green Ford Ranger double-cab pickup remains missing, leading investigators to treat the case as murder combined with vehicle hijacking. Authorities suspect the couple may have unintentionally crossed paths with poachers or a criminal gang operating in the remote area. Tire tracks reportedly led toward the Mozambican border, raising fears that the perpetrators may have fled across the frontier.

The brutal nature of the killings – elderly tourists bound, stabbed, and left for crocodiles – has ignited public outrage and renewed fears about safety in one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations. SANParks has since increased ranger patrols and surveillance in the northern region, while police continue their manhunt with “strong leads.”

For the Marais family, the pain is unimaginable. A man who had lived a full life as a respected quantity surveyor, husband, and father, ended his days in unimaginable violence alongside the woman he loved. That final text message – warm, affectionate, and completely ordinary – now echoes as a cruel reminder of how quickly life can be stolen.

As the investigation unfolds, South Africans are left asking difficult questions about safety in the country’s beloved national parks and the growing threat of violent crime even in protected wilderness areas. For now, a daughter mourns the father who told her he loved her one last time, never knowing it would be forever.