Cecil Russouw was a low-level drug dealer selling amounts of marijuana

08:34 Victoria Police 0 Comments

Cecil Russouw was meant to be fishing with his son James this morning, but the planned father-and-son outing never happened.The charred body of James Russouw, 24, of Box Hill was found late on Friday in a burnt-out car behind a Melbourne sports ground where, according to police, he had often gone to deal small amounts of marijuana. The body was burnt beyond recognition, but Mr Russouw's father today said he had bought the dark blue 1997 Jeep Cherokee for his son and "it could only be James". Blood and accelerant were found next to the car behind an oval at the East Burwood Reserve. Investigators have established that Mr Russouw left his brother's home in Box Hill about 10.30pm on Friday and headed for a friend's place in Vermont South. He spoke to a friend on the phone about 10.45pm to get directions, but he never arrived. Police and firefighters discovered Mr Russouw's body on the front seat of the burnt-out Jeep Cherokee after concerned residents near the reserve reported that a car was on fire about 11.15pm.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles of the homicide squad said investigators had established Mr Russouw frequented the reserve to deal marijuana. "Although Victoria Police had no intelligence or evidence that he was involved in any criminal activity, as a result of speaking with some close friends, it's apparent that he was a low-level drug dealer selling amounts of marijuana and we believe that parking place was an area that he went to do drug dealings," he told reporters in Melbourne today.
Mr Russouw's family was not aware he dealt drugs, he said. An autopsy yesterday confirmed Mr Russouw had died of multiple stab wounds.
Mr Russouw's father said James had an older brother and a younger sister who was on her way back to Australia from Canada. He said he last spoke to his son on Friday evening, when they had "a normal chat about footy and fishing".
"We were meant to go fishing this morning, together."
Det Snr Sgt Iddles appealed to anyone who had seen the dark blue 1997 Jeep Cherokee with mag wheels travelling east along the Burwood Highway about 10.30pm on Friday to contact police. He also appealed to people who had been in contact with Mr Russouw on Friday to come forward.