'My husband died a hero': Murder ends teen's birthday party

As Joanne Fagan desperately tried to get their firearm from the family safe, she heard two shots. One was intended for her 14-year-old daughter, the other for her husband, Mark.

Her daughter survived but when Joanne rolled her husband over, blood flowed from his chest. Mark, known as Farmer Mark, died a hero, said Joanne.

Earlier on Friday their smallholding near Philadelphia in Cape Town was a scene of celebration. It was their daughter's friend's birthday and the Fagans hosted the party.

When Joanne, 51, and Mark, 46, went to bed, the girls were still up. The couple woke up to their screams. A group of men had broken into the house.

"My daughter and one of her friends went to the braai room [on the porch] outside the house," Fagan said.

"There they were attacked by two men. Two others stormed the house and grabbed some of the girls.

"My husband and I came running when we heard the screams. He started punching [the men] to get them off the girls and shoved them up the passage while I went for our gun."

Fagan said she then heard two shots and came outside to find her husband lying face down on the porch.

"I didn't think he was fatally shot because he looked perfect. His shirt was white and there was no exit wound and no blood. But as I rolled him over, I saw there was blood coming out of his [chest]."

Mark had been shot in the heart and his attackers fled. The other shot was aimed at their daughter who was trying to protect her friend.

Fagan said: "I feel like a robot. I'm dressed but I don't know how I got dressed. I'm numb."