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On Monday news broke of a hiker being murdered on a trail above Kalk Bay, a brutal stabbing resulting in the death of 57-year-old Doug Notten.

He was hiking with his wife Julia and, although details were scarce, we knew that the attacker was wearing a security uniform of sorts.

Now Doug’s brother-in law and good friend Stephen Voget has spoken about the events of that morning, saying that the death had left a “devastating void”.

Via Times LIVE, here’s some of that account:

“They crested the peak above the area known as the Amphitheatre and were en route down the northern side‚ heading in a northerly direction‚ planning to find a potential spot to have a cup of coffee which they were carrying in a basic rucksack‚” he said.

“That is all they were carrying: no jewellery‚ cameras‚ car keys nor other shiny things. A man approached from behind walking faster than them on the same path. They stepped aside politely‚ as one does‚ to let him pass.

“As the strongly built dark-skinned man passed Douglas he became aggressive and belligerent and jostled Doug‚ who stood his ground. Julia‚ ahead of them‚ then saw the assailant quickly draw a knife and stab Doug who was immediately felled‚ but was attempting to fight back and protect Julia‚” he said.

Julia pepper-sprayed the assailant‚ which caused him to back down‚ giving Douglas an opportunity to tell Julia to run away. Their attacker ran after her‚ throwing rocks. “She escaped him and looked back to see him return to her badly bleeding husband and then fanatically and repeatedly stabbed him‚” he said.

If you’re feeling a little sick to your stomach then you’re not the only one. It’s just so, so senseless.

Julia managed to locate other hikers and called for paramedics, but by the time they arrived Doug had already passed away.

He is survived by his wife and three children, as well as the legacy of a life well-lived:

Voget said his brother-in-law took extreme pride in his fitness and job as a pilot. “He was good with his hands and built half of his house himself. He worked on his car himself‚ and loved the cars that he drove and the aircraft he flew for many tens of thousands of hours.

“In his working life he had flown both the rescue helicopter and the police aircraft that were involved in his attempted rescue‚” he said.

As it stands, no arrests have been made. Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Andrè Traut says the police have prioritised the investigation, and an increased police presence has been deployed in the area to ensure the safety of hikers.

[source:timeslive]