Daisy de Melker

  Active for 10 years
(1923-1932) in South Africa

3

CONFIRMED
VICTIMS

3

POSSIBLE
VICTIMS
Jump to:
  1. Summary
  2. Serial Killer Profile
  3. Serial Killer Type
  4. General Information
  5. Characteristics
  6. Childhood
  7. Cognitive Ability
  8. Incarceration
  9. Death
  10. 8 Timeline Events
  11. Serial Killers Active During Spree
  12. Boolean Statistical Questions
  13. 6 Books About Daisy de Melker
  14. 4 External References
  15. Internal References

Daisy de Melker (born Daisy Louisa Hancorn-Smith) an South African serial killer and poisoner who poisoned two husbands with strychnine for their life insurance while living in Germiston. Melker also poisoned her only son with arsenic. On 15 April 1932, the police obtained a court order permitting them to exhume the bodies of Rhodes Cowle, Robert Sproat and William Cowle. A week later, the police arrested Melker and charged her with the murder of all three men. Melker was executed by hanging on December 30th 1932 at Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

Daisy de Melker Serial Killer Profile

Serial Killer Daisy de Melker, was active for 10 years between 1923-1932, known to have ( 3 confirmed / 3 possible ) victims. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: South Africa

Daisy de Melker was born on June 1st 1886 in Seven Fountains, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. She was born 6th of 11 children and raised by both parents until (Age 12), father until (Age 17). She was raised as a middle child and had four brothers and six sisters.

Daisy de Melker a heterosexual female citizen of South Africa. She married twice killed both. She had five children, four of whom died in infancy.

In 1923 (Age 36/37) Daisy de Melker started her killing spree, during her crimes as a serial killer she was known to murder her victims. She was known to kill at both her home and the home of the victim. At the time of her crimes she was living with multiple husbands, where she was known to work as a criminal, serial killer.

She was arrested on March 3rd 1932 (Age 45), sentenced to death by hanging at Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. She was convicted on charges of murder and other possible charges during her lifetime. Daisy de Melker was executed on December 30th 1932 (Age 46).

Daisy de Melker died on December 30th 1932 (Age 46), cause of death: capital punishment, executed by hanging at Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

Profile Completeness: 93%
serial killers by profile completeness

Daisy de Melker has been listed on Killer.Cloud since November of 2016 and was last updated 5 years ago.

Daisy de Melker a known:

Daisy de Melker
Serial Killer Profile:

Updated: 2018-10-27 Collected by Killer.Cloud
General Information
Name: Daisy de Melker
Nickname: N/A
Victims: 3 - 3
Years Active: 1923 - 1932
Ages Active: 36/37 - 45/46
Active Countries: South Africa
Convicted Of: murder
Life Span: 1886 - 1932
Characteristics
Gender: Female
Citizenship: South Africa
Sexual Preference: Heterosexual
Astrological Sign: Gemini
May 21 - Jun 21
Birth Month: June
Marital Status: married twice killed both
Children: five children, four of whom died in infancy
Living With: multiple husbands
Occupation: criminal, serial killer
Childhood Information
D.O.B.: Jun 1, 1886
Given Name: Daisy
Birth Location: Seven Fountains, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Birth Order: 6th of 11
Siblings: four brothers and six sisters
Raised By: both parents until (Age 12), father until (Age 17)
Birth Category: middle child
Mother: N/A
Father: N/A

Cognitive Ability
IQ: N/A
Highest School: N/A
Highest Degree:

Incarceration
Arrested: Mar 3, 1932 (Age 45)
Convicted: N/A
Sentence: death by hanging
Prison Location: Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Executed: Dec 30, 1932 (Age 46)
Previous Crimes: FALSE
Previous Jail: FALSE
Previous Prison: FALSE

Death Information
Death Date: Dec 30, 1932 (Age 46)
Manner of Death: capital punishment
Cause of Death: executed by hanging
Death Location: Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Killed In Prison: FALSE
Suicide: FALSE
8 Timeline Events of Serial Killer
Daisy de Melker

The 8 dates listed below represent a timeline of the life and crimes of serial killer Daisy de Melker. A complete collection of serial killer events can be found on our Serial Killer Timeline.

Date Event Description
Jun 01 1886Daisy de Melker was born in Seven Fountains, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.  #18860601
Jun 01 1906
(Age 20)
20th Birthday
Jun 01 1916
(Age 30)
30th Birthday
1923
(Age 36/37)
Daisy de Melker started her serial killing spree. #1923
Jun 01 1926
(Age 40)
40th Birthday
1932
(Age 45/46)
Daisy de Melker ended her serial killing spree. #1932
Mar 03 1932
(Age 45)
Daisy de Melker arrested. #19320303
Dec 30 1932
(Age 46)
Daisy de Melkerwas executed.cause of death:capital punishment,executed by hangingat Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. #19321230
Back to top Serial Killers Active During

The following serial killers were active during the same time span as Daisy de Melker (1923-1932).

Serial Killers By Active Year


39 / 40
ANSWERED
Serial Killer
Boolean Questions:
Killer
Question
Killer
Answer
Total
Answered
living with children TRUE 268
kill at killers home TRUE 320
kill at victims home TRUE 323
suicide FALSE 225
killed in prison FALSE 218
father drug abuse FALSE 192
mother drug abuse FALSE 195
problems in school FALSE 221
teased in school FALSE 218
physically defect FALSE 300
speach defect FALSE 300
head injury FALSE 299
physically abused FALSE 231
psychologically abused FALSE 224
sexually abused FALSE 226
drug abuse FALSE 226
alcohol abuse FALSE 226
psychologist FALSE 258
forensic hospital FALSE 257
previous crimes FALSE 367
previous jail FALSE 352
previous prision FALSE 336
previous killed FALSE 208
used weapon FALSE 453
used gun FALSE 451
rape FALSE 453
torture FALSE 426
stalk FALSE 418
blindfold FALSE 363
bound FALSE 406
strangle FALSE 443
sex with body FALSE 430
mutilated FALSE 447
ate part of body FALSE 451
drank blood FALSE 442
posed body FALSE 365
totem body part FALSE 365
totem personal item FALSE 354
robbed FALSE 418


Books that Mention Daisy de Melker

Book: Murder Most Rare (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Michael D. Kelleher
Murder Most Rare
Book: Eendagmooi (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Kristel Loots
Eendagmooi
Book: Fatal Females (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Micki Pistorius
Fatal Females
Book: The Mammoth Book of More Bizarre Cr... (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Robin Odell
The Mammoth Book of More Bizarre Crimes
Book: My Life and Opinions (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Herman Charles Bosma...
My Life and Opinions
Book: Serial Killers Around the World: Th... (mentions serial killer Daisy de Melker)
Dirk C. Gibson
Serial Killers Around the World: The Global D...

6 Books that mention Serial Killer
Daisy de Melker

ISBN10 Book Title Killers
0440234735 Murder Most Rare 3
0799355720 Eendagmooi 1
0143526898 Fatal Females 1
1472118049 The Mammoth Book of More... 6
0798143541 My Life and Opinions 1
1608058425 Serial Killers Around the... 3

Daisy Louisa C. De Melker (née Hancorn-Smith; 1 June 1886 – 30 December 1932) simply known as Daisy de Melker, was a trained nurse who poisoned two husbands with strychnine for their life insurance while living in Germiston in the central Transvaal (now Gauteng), and then poisoned her only son with arsenic for reasons which are still unclear.

Wikipedia
External References
  1. Daisy de Melker on en.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Sep 16, 2018.
  2. Juan Ignacio Blanco, Daisy Louisa DE MELKER on murderpedia.org, Retrieved on Sep 16, 2018.
  3. Daisy de Melker on af.wikipedia.org, Retrieved on Sep 20, 2018.
  4. Q677305 on www.wikidata.org, Retrieved on Oct 9, 2018.
Internal References

Daisy de Melker is included in the following pages on Killer.Cloud the Serial Killer Database

  1. #18 of 20[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killers active in South Africa
  2. #29 of 34[ Page 2 ] of Serial Killers with birthdays in June
  3. #35 of 40[ Page 3 ] of Gemini Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  4. #60 of 75[ Page 4 ] of Female Serial Killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
  5. #88 of 651[ Page 6 ] of serial killers sorted by Profile Completeness
  6. #159 of 651[ Page 11 ] of serial killers sorted by Years Active
  7. #399 of 651[ Page 27 ] of the A-Z List of Serial Killers
  8. #580 of 651[ Page 39 ] of serial killers sorted by Confirmed Victims
Statistics:
Serial Killers Statistics, charts Daisy de Melker is included in: Active Serial Killers by Country, Serial Killers By Gender, Age of Serial Killer by Date, Killers By Astrological Sign, Killers By Birth Month, Sexual Preference, Birth Category, Mannor of Death, Active Serial Killers by Year and Statistical Boolean Questions.
Years Active: