Panayiotou, a school teacher at Riebeeck College in Uitenhage, started her day as she always did. She got ready for school, probably had some breakfast, and then waited outside her complex for her colleague to collect her.
But something went horribly wrong on that Tuesday morning. When her lift arrived, Panayiotou was not there. Later that evening she was reported missing by her sister, and not her husband Christopher, with whom she lived.
The Kabega Park community quickly rallied.
Hundreds of volunteers combed the streets of Port Elizabeth for the 28-year-old.
Her body was found the next day, spotted by the pilot of a police helicopter who saw an “object” below him.
SAPS ground teams quickly moved in and confirmed that the “object” was Panayiotou. She had been shot and dumped in a field in KwaNobuhle, just outside Uitenhage.
When the Sunday Tribune visited the complex at which Panayiotou lived, neighbours described her as a wonderful person with a cheerful smile. But they said they were baffled by the nature of her disappearance.
“I can’t understand how nobody saw or heard anything. The spot from where she was taken is clearly visible and the road is always busy.
“Something is fishy here,” said a neighbour who wished to remain anonymous.
The spot from which Panayiotou was allegedly abducted is less than 10m away from the nearest house, separated only by a wall. The spot is fully visible from complexes across the narrow street.
Manhunt
Another neighbour spoke of Christopher. “He is the chairman of the body corporate in the complex. That’s all I can say about him. He’s a strong guy.”
In the initial week of Panayiotou’s abduction and death, rumours swirled about Christopher’s possible involvement in her disappearance – but nobody voiced it aloud.
It was almost as if they were all waiting for the first shred of evidence, and then it came.
After launching a manhunt, police made two arrests. A statement released to the media said that robbery had been ruled out as a motive.
Thando Siyoli, 31, appeared in court on Friday.
The other arrest is believed to be Christopher. He is due to appear in court tomorrow.
Robert Hendrikse, a Kabega Park resident and search volunteer, said that the arrest came as no surprise to him.
“There were many things that didn’t add up right from the start. Body language, the theory of how she was taken. There was just something amiss,” he said.
Following the arrests, family and friends of the dead woman, and her husband, quickly closed ranks.
Panayiotou taught with Christopher’s sister Kloe at the school she had attended as a girl.
At a memorial just days after Panayiotou’s death, Kloe emotionally told the packed school hall how much Panayiotou loved her brother.
“You loved my brother and he loved you.
“I can still remember you calling him from hockey practice to ask him what to cook. You were soulmates.”
Riebeeck college principal Marilyn Woods and several teachers refused to comment on Christopher’s arrest.
“Now really isn’t a good time. I am not comfortable commenting on the matter, I have a school to run,” said Woods.
Parents at the school initially raised suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Panayiotou’s disappearance.
“Just a few months ago Jayde (Panayiotou) taught all the girls in her class self-defence and told them what to do in the event that someone tried to abduct them.
“It doesn’t make sense that she wouldn’t have applied what she knew, unless she knew her killer and went into the car, or whatever, voluntarily,” said Darweesha Rockman.
Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Why did they do it? Her husband comes from a rich family, what was the reason behind it. The truth must come out.”
Attention will now turn to the link between Siyoli and Christopher and the motive behind Panayiotou’s murder. Christopher’s appearance in the Eastern Cape High Court tomorrow is expected to be brief.
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