The heiress to the million-dollar German shipping company DAL was shot dead in mysterious circumstances on her family’s luxury wildlife farm in South Africa – a day after the family’s financial director was killed on the reserve.
Caroline von Rantsau, 26, was found dead inside her room at the Leeufontein estate in the northern Limpopo province of South Africa on June 1, police said. German newspaper Bild.
Gunshots had been reported at the property, which offers trophy hunting in “South Africa’s premier safari area”, before von Rantsau was found suffering from a gunshot wound.
Police believe von Rantzau was hit by a .357-caliber hunting rifle bullet, the same weapon that her father, Dr. Eberhardt von Rantzau, had in his gun safe, the newspaper reported.
Father von Rantzow is Managing Director of Deutsche Afrika-Linien, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.
Hours before von Rantzau’s death, the financial director of the family estate, Arno Kuen, was found dead on the property.
The 44-year-old employee was killed by a 9mm bullet on May 31.
Officials are awaiting the results of the autopsy.
South African Police Services spokeswoman Malesela Ledwaba told the website: “The results of the autopsy will give investigators information about the actual causes of death and will determine whether investigations will be opened against other people.”
Police did not share any additional details about the deaths.
No arrests have been announced in either shooting incident.
Initial reports circulating around the company claimed that von Rantzau was killed in a car accident, but these have been debunked.
Bild reported that Quinn, who was described as a confidant, mentor and “foster father” to the young heiress, was responsible for reservations and finances at the Leeufontein estate.
Von Rantzau is starting to build an impressive property portfolio of her own, having just purchased two properties in the sprawling, untamed grounds of the South African province, near the border with Mozambique.
She spent her time caring for animals on the family farm, where antelope, horses, wildebeest, impala, mongoose, monitors and birds lived, she says. the site.
DAL, which sold its container line business to Hapag-Lloyd in 2022, is a leading brand of chemical tankers across Europe, The company said.
Dr. Eberhardt von Rantzau is part of the third generation of family ownership of the company founded by John T. Esperger in 1924.