Family of missing Kuils River mother Zara Hector believe she is dead and are adamant she has been murdered even though police are tight-lipped about a body they have found.

On Saturday night members of the Hector family were in mourning.

Police discovered a woman’s body on a farm in the Groot Drakenstein area on Thursday.

They say it is premature to link it to Zara, 33, who was last seen on March 14. Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel André Traut would confirm only there was a strong possibility the body was Zara’s. He promised to provide more clarity on the case next week.

Two men, one of whom is from Kuils River, have been arrested.

Zara’s brother, Brendan, told Weekend Argus the ordeal of not knowing what had happened to his sister had been “extremely traumatic”.

“We are very grateful and thankful for all the support and prayers from everyone.”

Weekend Argus understands the family knows the two men taken into police custody. Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said several media agencies had called him about the matter. “It’s horrific.”

Zara was last seen leaving work at the Oostenberg Lodge in Kuils River.

Two days later, the car she had been driving, a BMW Z3, was discovered, stripped and abandoned, in Observatory.

Since her disappearance, Zara’s friends and siblings used social media in a desperate attempt to find out where she was.

They issued daily pleas for anyone who knew what had happened to come forward.

On Saturday Brendan posted the family’s questions had been answered.

“It is with a sad and heavy heart that I confirm she has been murdered. Suspects have been arrested and charged, but the investigation is still not complete. We, therefore, would not be able to say more. I ask that we allow the police to complete what they are busy with, without speculating or interfering with the investigation.”

Hector asked his family be given space to mourn.

Scores of social media users reacted with shock.

Traut said their investigations into the body found in Groot Drakenstein had led police to a residence in Serepta, Kuils River, where a man in his 20s was arrested for murder. Another man was also arrested.

Traut said the investigation was at a sensitive stage.

Earlier this week Brendan confirmed to Weekend Argus that between the time his sister went missing and the stripped car was found, the vehicle had been spotted in Bishop Lavis. But he declined to say whether Zara had been seen in the vehicle.

Brendan said when the car was found in Observatory, police officers had not checked it for fingerprints.

A knife was reportedly found in the car, but this could not be confirmed.

[Source: Sunday Argus]