Loner suspected of killing his girlfriend was into drugs‚ says ex-colleague

Allegations of drug abuse have surfaced around the man accused of murdering his girlfriend and burying her in his parents’ backyard in Paarl.

Jaco Oosthuizen‚ 32‚ suspected of killing 28-year-old psychologist’s assistant Nicola Pienaar‚ reportedly had a history of using tik‚ mandrax and dagga.

A former pizza delivery colleague of Oosthuizen described him as “withdrawn” and “quiet”.

• Murdered Paarl woman was six months pregnantA Paarl woman found buried under rubble in the backyard of her boyfriend’s home after going missing earlier this month‚ was pregnant. She is believed to have been strangled. 

“Jaco was very lonely‚ he didn't have friends. He used drugs‚ there's really not much to tell about‚ he didn't really have a full life like normal people‚” he said.

“He was very quiet‚ no friends and very withdrawn‚ and that's about it.”

• Paarl man leads police to his girlfriend's gravePaul Oosthuizen has led police to the grave in Paarl where his girlfriend Nicola Pienaar was buried‚ according to authorities. 

Pienaar's body was found under rubble in the backyard of the house where Oosthuizen lived with his mother and father‚ 25 days after she was reported missing by her mother‚ Marlaine Pienaar-Vice. She is believed to have been strangled.

A pathologist’s report said she was six months pregnant.

• Missing Paarl woman Nicola Pienaar found deadThe body of a woman who went missing in Paarl almost a month ago has been found in a shallow grave in the backyard of her boyfriend's house. 

Police arrested Oosthuizen in Port Elizabeth‚ where he reportedly wanted to meet his ex-girlfriend.

Contacted by The Times‚ the bank employee said she did not want to comment or be drawn into what she called “a tragic situation”. She said it had been a very long time since she last spoke to Oosthuizen

The private forensic specialist who helped police to find Oosthuizen‚ Paul Scheepers‚ said Nicola was last seen on January 6.

Early the next day‚ Oosthuizen drove to Port Elizabeth in Pienaar's car. CCTV footage from petrol stations showed he was alone in the car‚ said Scheepers.

Oosthuizen told police at the time of his arrest that he and Pienaar had a fight and he dropped her in Oudtshoorn on January 7.

But on Saturday night – after talking to his mother‚ Marietjie Oosthuizen‚ and asking for her forgiveness – he allegedly confessed to the murder and led police to the spot where Pienaar was buried at his family’s rented house.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said Oosthuizen was expected to appear in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder‚ fraud‚ and motor vehicle theft.

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE