3 MISSED CALLS FROM UNKNOWN NUMBERS: Investigators examining the final hours of Ernst Marais have reportedly uncovered another mysterious detail that may play a crucial role in the ongoing Kruger National Park case.
According to sources close to the investigation, forensic analysts reviewing phone records discovered that Ernst Marais’s mobile phone received three missed calls from three separate unknown numbers approximately 35 minutes before the tragedy unfolded.
Authorities say the calls occurred within a short nine-minute window while Ernst and Dina Marais were believed to be traveling along a remote safari route near the river region where their bodies were later found.
At first, investigators reportedly believed the calls might have been unrelated spam or weak-signal communication attempts common in isolated areas of the park. However, the situation changed dramatically after police traced the origin of the final number.
According to leaked investigative information, the last call allegedly came from a prepaid phone registered under the identity of a former temporary contractor who had previously worked in maintenance operations connected to areas surrounding Kruger National Park.
The individual reportedly left the position several months earlier and has since become difficult for authorities to locate.
Police have not officially named the person publicly, emphasizing that investigators are still working to determine whether the calls were directly connected to the deaths of Ernst and Dina Marais or merely an unfortunate coincidence.
One investigator reportedly described the discovery as “significant but not yet conclusive.”
Forensic teams are now examining whether any communication occurred between the unknown callers and the Marais couple in the days leading up to their disappearance. Detectives are also attempting to recover deleted phone data and signal records from nearby towers to reconstruct the timeline more accurately.
Sources say investigators became especially concerned because none of the three numbers reportedly appeared in Ernst Marais’s known contact history before the day of the incident.
The discovery has fueled further speculation surrounding the mysterious deaths of the elderly couple, whose case has continued attracting widespread public attention across South Africa.
Friends of Ernst and Dina Marais insist the pair rarely communicated with strangers during their travels and generally kept a small circle of trusted contacts.
“They were careful people,” one acquaintance reportedly said. “Random unknown calls like that would have stood out immediately.”
Authorities continue urging the public not to spread unsupported accusations online while the investigation remains active. Police also warned that many social media rumors surrounding the case are based on incomplete or unofficial information.
Meanwhile, forensic specialists continue reviewing surveillance footage, toxicology findings, recovered evidence from the Ford Ranger, and digital phone records as investigators work to understand exactly what happened during the couple’s final hours inside Kruger National Park.
Officials say the three mysterious missed calls may ultimately become one of the most important digital clues uncovered so far in the increasingly complex investigation.