Sleepy Hollow Killer

The Sleepy Hollow Killer is the name of an unidentified South African rapist and serial killer, thought to be responsible for the rapes and murders of at least 13 women, most likely sex workers, around Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. His signature was to strangle his victims using their panties, a characteristic shared with the murders of three prostitutes in 2007, who are also considered possible victims.

Brief Case History
In the 1990s, several women were raped and then strangled with their own panties in Pietermaritzburg, with their bodies later being found near the N3 Highway. In 2001, authorities began an inquest into the murders, exhuming seven of the murdered women's corpses from graves in Mountain Rise and Mpophomeni, in an attempt to identify them through facial reconstruction. However, the investigation led nowhere, and it closed that same year.

Between February and October 2007, the bodies of three white women were found near the N3 Highway's vicinity. The first victim was found behind the ML Sultan High School, the second near Liberty Midlands Mall in June and the last was found in October between Hilton and Peter Brown Drive. Like the 1990s victims, they were raped and strangled with their panties, the only difference being that they were burned severely after death. Aside from them, bodies bearing the same trademark were reportedly discovered from places as far as Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.

Superintendent Henry Budhram later announced that a special task team, supervised by Senior Superintendent Gops Govender, would investigate the murders and examine all the circumstances, modus operandi and material evidence for all cases.

Profile
The Sleepy Hollow Killer was a likely sexual sadist, a psychopathic murderer with no remorse, the killer would ruthlessly rape and torture his victims. The strangulation of the victims likely gives him a sense of power and strength. He likely has a military background, potentially serving with the South African Defence Force's 32 Battalion also known as the "Terrible Ones".

Modus Operandi
The killer would ambush, abduct and take his victims to a secluded location before raping, torturing and killing them.

On Criminal Minds
He may have inspired Hamilton Bartholomew, the Piano Man serial rapist.