Duncan Hoorn, accused of the murder, kidnapping and defeating the administration of justice in connection with the death of his wife Chantel Pasqualle-Hoorn, was expected to face judgment in the Western Cape High Court sitting in the Wynberg Regional Court in early September 2026, according to reporting by Daily Voice on 6 September and Cape Argus on 1 September.
The charges stem from events on 27 and 28 June 2024, when Hoorn said he was with Chantel at their home in Surdown Walk, Hanover Park, before she was taken to hospital with severe head injuries the following morning. Chantel Pasqualle-Hoorn died on 28 July 2024 after complications linked to her injuries.
Forensic pathologist Dr Jill Roman testified that Chantel sustained 13 injuries unrelated to medical intervention, including bruising, a fractured right forearm, defence-type injuries, and a wound to the back of her head. Roman concluded that Chantel died from bronchopneumonia that developed as a complication of blunt force head injury, according to Cape Argus reporting on 1 September.
Hoorn took the stand on 3 August 2026 and denied harming his wife. During his testimony, as reported by Daily Voice, Hoorn told the court: ‘I did not assault her.’ He also reportedly asked: ‘Who said I did that?’
The State presented evidence from family members, police officers, forensic specialists and medical experts, along with blood evidence and voice notes. Cape Argus reported on 16 August that the prosecution’s case was built across multiple witness categories and forensic findings.
The defence, led by Advocate Gilbert Jose, closed its case by early September after both sides submitted written heads of argument. Jose had earlier indicated he might call Hoorn as a witness, which he did, according to Weekend Argus reporting on 31 July.
The case has drawn sustained local attention because it centres on a domestic violence death in Hanover Park, a community where gender-based violence remains a persistent concern. Chantel Pasqualle-Hoorn’s injuries, particularly the defence-type wounds and fractured arm, placed the matter firmly within the pattern of intimate partner violence cases that Western Cape courts handle regularly.
Daily Voice reported on 6 September that Hoorn expected to learn the verdict on Monday, 7 September. Cape Argus and IOL reporting on 1 September confirmed that judgment was expected imminently but did not independently specify that Monday date. The precise verdict date remains unconfirmed by a second source.
It is not yet known whether judgment was delivered on 7 September or whether the court postponed its ruling. This article will be updated once the Western Cape High Court confirms the outcome.