It looks like we may have some answers sooner than we expected, with three people being taken into police custody for the murder of Franziska Blöchliger.

Here’s the latest from News24:

Three people have been arrested for the brutal murder of 16-year-old teen Franziska Blöchliger in Tokai Forest this week, reports have said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut told Netwerk24 that three suspects, between the ages of 22 and 27, were arrested on Tuesday night and are currently being questioned.

There’s also this from TimesLive:

“The circumstances surrounding the case are still under investigation and no further information can be released at this stage‚” Traut said. The teenager’s distraught parents had offered a R50‚000 reward for information leading to the arrest of her killers.

Franziska’s father revealed more about the case in a separate TimesLive article:

Florian Blöchliger said police had told him they had recovered a cell phone in West Lake, less than a kilometre from the crime.

“I have just spoken to the police. They said they are on their way to us with good news‚” he said.

He said he had been planning to announce later on Wednesday that they were increasing the reward from R50,000 to R100,000. “We will still go ahead with increasing the reward.”

He said the family had been told by police they may release the results of his daughter’s post-mortem later on Wednesdsay .

“I saw people on Facebook saying that my child was white. My child was not white‚ my child was coloured. It’s not that I want to advertise that she is coloured. She had dual citizenship for South Africa and Switzerland. My wife is Indian-coloured‚” said Florian.

Florian revealing more about the phone call he received from his daughter’s phone from a News24 article:

The teenager’s father, Florian[ said] that he was driving through Tokai Forest looking for her after she went missing on Monday when he got a call from her phone.

Her body was found about half an hour after she went missing.

He said he could only hear “children’s noises, like a child screaming” in the background and he was certain that it was “somebody else’s child”.

The distraught father said Franziska’s grandfather also received calls from her phone. Florian said they tried calling her back but it only rang unanswered.

Their efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice don’t stop with the reward either, the family enlisting the help of forensic science expert Dr David Klatzow. News24 with this:

Klatzow confirmed to News24 on Wednesday that he had been approached regarding Franziska Blöchliger’s murder.

“The family have been in contact yesterday [Tuesday],” he said.

Asked for more details on his exact role or what services he would offer, he replied “I can’t tell you anything more”…

Klatzow has more than 28 years experience and has investigated over 2 000 cases ranging from criminal matters to civil disputes.

He has lent his scientific knowledge and investigative skills to a number of high profile cases.

These included the murders of mining magnate Brett Kebble and the Gugulethu 7.

He also established the first private forensic laboratory in South Africa in 1984.

On Wednesday, the Constantia Waldorf School board of trustees’ director Thomas Knemeyer told News24 that the teen’s phone “pinged” in Westlake at 21:00 on Monday.

You can see videos and pictures from last night’s silent vigil in Franziska’s honour HERE.

[sources:news24,timeslive]