Wayne Lawrence sentenced to life for killing his ex and attempting to kill their daughter

The Western Cape High Court sentenced Wayne Lawrence to life imprisonment for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, and the attempted murder of their daughter.

Lawrence was convicted on several counts, including assault, reckless endangerment, violating an interim protection order, and defeating the administration of justice.

His sentencing includes:

• Life imprisonment for murder
• 15 years for attempted murder
• 10 years for violating the interim protection order
• 10 years for pointing a firearm (two counts)
• 5 years for reckless endangerment
• 3 years for assault
• 3 years for defeating the administration of justice

The court ruled that the sentences would run concurrently.

History of Abuse and Fatal Attack

The court heard that Lawrence and the victim, Angela Marinus, were in a common-law relationship from 2009 until October 2017.

They had a daughter, Monique Marinus, who was 16 years old when her mother was killed.

During their relationship, Lawrence physically and verbally abused Marinus. To protect herself and her daughter, she obtained an interim protection order on October 19, 2017.

Lawrence repeatedly violated the order, continuing to harass and threaten her.

Following their separation, Marinus and her daughter moved out of their shared home in Montana and relocated to Montevideo with her parents.

She later started a new relationship, which Lawrence would not accept. This led to continued harassment, abuse, and desperate attempts to reconcile.

Escalation of Violence

• On October 11, 2017, Lawrence pointed a firearm at Marinus' new boyfriend.
• On October 12, 2017, he confronted Marinus at her workplace, forcibly keeping her in his car as she tried to escape.
• In November 2017, he forced their daughter to call Marinus, threatening to kill their daughter and himself if she did not return home. He then fired two shots in front of their daughter to deceive Marinus into believing he had shot their child.
• On December 10, 2017, he attended a family outing where he aggressively confronted Marinus and pointed a firearm at her.

The following day, on December 11, 2017, tragedy struck.

As Marinus and her daughter sat in a vehicle outside her parents’ home, Lawrence approached and opened fire.

Marinus was shot in the face and abdomen, dying at the scene. Their daughter was shot in the foot but survived.

Arrest and Trial

Lawrence fled the crime scene but was arrested two days later on December 13 2017.

Police seized one of his firearms, a .45 ACP Taurus pistol, and requested he surrender his second firearm, a .40 S&W Glock pistol, which he failed to disclose.

During the trial, the State presented overwhelming evidence against Lawrence.

Despite his attempts to dispute the testimonies of key witnesses, including his daughter Monique, the court found their accounts credible and consistent.

Justice Served

Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Nicolette Bell, welcomed the sentencing, stating that the State remains committed to tackling gender-based violence and femicide.

She praised the investigation and prosecution teams for their efforts in securing justice for the victim and her family.

IOL