To be explicitly clear: the only reason to publish this post is to make it overwhelmingly obvious that this South African news story has absolutely no connection Sotheby’s, the auction house, and its CEO. (Some headlines have not made it clear the story is from South Africa and involves the realty company there.)
Here are some of the details from South African sources about the arrest of Jason Rohde after the death of his wife, Susan:
Rohde was arrested at his Bryanston home in Johannesburg this morning.
Susan Rohde was found dead in a room at Spier, an exclusive wine estate and hotel in Stellenbosch, late last month.
The police’s Frederick van Wyk says, “We can confirm that a 47-year-old suspect has been arrested earlier today in Johannesburg for the murder of Susan Rohde. Her body was found on 24 July at a hotel near Lynedoch. The suspect is due to appear in the Stellenbosch Magistrates Court on a charge of murder.”
According to Rohde, when he and his wife woke up on the morning she was killed, she went to the bathroom to get ready, while he fell asleep.
When he later woke up, he says, he was unable to open the bathroom door and called hotel workers for assistance.
When they opened the door, they found her in a kneeling position, with the electrical cord around her neck.
Sotheby’s boss to be moved to Stellenbosch for court appearance (Eyewitness News)
