Caroline von Rantzau, 26, was found shot dead at a sprawling safari lodge owned by her wealthy shipping family – a day after her close friend was also killed at the property
Caroline von Rantzau, 26, was shot at the luxury Leeuwfontein hunting reserve(Image: Instagram)
A millionaire heiress has been shot dead at a luxury safari lodge in South Africa, just a day after a close friend and senior staff member was killed on the same private estate.
Caroline von Rantzau, 26, suffered a gunshot wound at the Leeuwfontein hunting reserve owned by her wealthy shipping family on June 1.
Her death came shortly after a trusted associate, financial manager Arno Koën, 44, was also found shot dead on the same grounds the previous day.
The deaths have turned attention onto the sprawling Limpopo estate, with police now probing a possible link between the two killings.
Initial reports from the family’s business wrongly suggested von Rantzau had died in a car crash on June 1. Authorities later confirmed both deaths were caused by firearms.
Koën was found on May 31 after being gunned down with a 9mm pistol – but later, gunfire was reportedly heard again elsewhere on the property. Von Rantzau was later discovered with fatal injuries caused by a .357 calibre hunting rifle.
According to Bild, a witness claimed the weapon may have been taken from a gun cabinet belonging to her father, Dr Eberhart Rantzau.
Police spent two days combing the estate, speaking to those present and gathering forensic evidence across the large private grounds. Despite the investigation, no motive has been confirmed and no arrests have been made. Officers have not ruled out further lines of inquiry.
The killings have stunned the von Rantzau family, a major name in Germany’s shipping industry.
Von Rantzau had been viewed as an up-and-coming figure within the Hamburg-based business empire. Her father is managing director of Deutsche Afrika-Linien GmbH, which sold its container shipping arm to Hapag-Lloyd in 2022. The family also holds investments in container infrastructure in South Africa.
She had been living in the country and had recently expanded her property portfolio with two additional homes near the Mozambique border.
Friends said she spent much of her time looking after animals on the estate and was an avid hunter. She was also believed to have been close to Koën, who managed the lodge’s finances and bookings. According to Bild, she referred to him as a “foster father” and “mentor”.
Police spokesman Malesela Ledwaba said post-mortem examinations would be key to establishing the full circumstances.
“The results of the autopsy will give investigators information about the actual causes of death and will determine whether investigations will be launched against other persons,” he said.
