FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Pierre Joubert]

It is with shock that we learned of the death of our good friend and fellow FMF member, Heimo Hellwig. This is an extract from SAFFA.com:

SWAKOPMUND – The mystery surrounding the sensational killings of Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (Nimt) executive director Eckhard Mueller and his deputy Heimo Hellwig was compounded by the fact that there was no arrest as of late yesterday.

Weeping employees and students of Nimt were sent home yesterday morning, as police pieced together shreds of evidence to help establish the cold-blooded murder of Mueller (72) and his deputy Hellwig (60).

The two came face to face with their killer who shot them at close range as they were about to open the Arandis Nimt campus between 06h00 and 0630 in time for the arrival of students and employees.

Their bodies, laying in a pool of blood, were found by a hostel matron on duty, while the key – which the two officials presumably were used to open the office block – remained in the door.

Still in shock, Nimt Arandis campus principal Ralph Bussel told New Era that the lifeless bodies of Mueller and Hellwig were discovered by the matron who in turn alerted his superiors and Nampol at Arandis.

According to Bussel, Mueller and Hellwig and a third employee, who all live in Swakopmund, travelled together to and from Arandis every day.

However yesterday, only the two men travelled together to Arandis as the third employee travelled to Arandis with his wife on the day.

“The whole school is traumatised and still in shock. Hence management decided that we should close for the week and also avail a grief counsellor for staff and students who might need it as the scene was too shocking. What happened was a tragedy none of us saw coming,” he said yesterday.

Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu, in his crime briefing yesterday, said that the two men were found with head and abdomen bullet wounds in front of the office block yesterday morning.

“We also collected eight spent cartridges of a 9 millimetre pistol at the scene. The suspect(s) are currently unknown at this stage as well as the motive behind the murders. However our investigators are working round the clock to get the suspect(s),” Iikuyu said yesterday.

Mueller had been at the helm of the institution and been serving it for the past 28 years as its executive director. Mueller, a widower, is survived by four children. Hellwig had been with Nimt for the past 22 years and is survived by his spouse and two children, according to Bussel.

Nimt staff members yesterday told New Era that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which has been alerted to alleged corruption at Nimt, was expected to start with its investigation yesterday morning at the Arandis campus.

The financially struggling institution has been on the ACC radar after allegations of corruption, nepotism, embezzlement, sexual harassment and jobs for relatives surfaced recently.

-FB:Karlien Mathee/neweralive

[Philippe Durand]

It is monstrous; I feel very sad for this ugly attack.
My thoughts to his family

[Pierre Joubert]

A suspect has been arrested and I will keep you up to date once he has been charged.

Heimo phoned me a few times the last few weeks and expressed his concern that they would be forced out of their jobs due to politics. I still made a joke and said that he can then become a full time mineral dealer.

I will always remember Heimo for his integrity and honesty. We will be in touch with Sabine.

[crosstimber]

Very sad news. We will miss his posts. Thoughts and prayers for his family.

[Don Lum]

[Bob Harman]

So sad. I too enjoyed his mineral postings and all the way from Namibia.

Incivility today knows no bounds! BOB

[Firmo Espinar]

I am really sad and shocked. Heimo was a great friend and a gentleman.

A great loss. I have no words.

Rest in Peace.

[Debbie Woolf]

Terrible news, my condolences to the family and friends.

[Susan Robinson]

This news is shocking. What a tragedy. My heartfelt condolences to their families.

[Vinoterapia]

This is so tragic. My condolences to all his family and friends.

[Fiebre Verde]

Like everybody I am shocked and saddened to hear this tragic news.
Violence and crime are affecting the whole society.
Gérard

[Tobi]

This is so sad, I can't find words for this horrible act.

[Jordi Fabre]

Past Monday I got this mail from Nina Soltau informing of this so sad news:

With sadness we have to inform you, that Mr. Heimo Hellwig was shot dead this morning in Arandis at NIMT (Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology) Heimo Hellwig was deputy director of the institution.
Heimo was a passionate collector of minerals from Namibia - especially Tsumeb Mineral Specimen and other localities from Namibia.
The executive director of Eckhart Mueller was also killed and a third person is in critical condition. The Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) is a technical vocational training institute in Arandis, Namibia, established in 1991.
Due to the circumstances, I preferred not to publish it until I had permission to do so. Luckily Pierre Joubert, a good friend of his, was so kind to talk with the family and announce it here.

This Forum wants to be a kind of home for people passionate by the minerals and in the homes there are families. We lost one member of our family, and all of us are sad for it.
With the love of your 'FMF family', Heimo, thanks to have been a so kind person having enlightened us with your photos and your knowledge.

Rest in peace Heimo all the 'FMF family' will miss you and your minerals.

[Peter Van Hout]

This is really terrible news and the way in which this happened is really shocking.
My heartfelt condolences to Heimo's family.

Peter

[Pierre Joubert]

The last news I could find:
https://www.namibian.com.na/77786/read/Person-of-interest-in-Nimt-killings-charged-with-unrelated-crime
(link normalized from FMF)

[Heimo Hellwig]

Dear Mineral-friends of Heimo!
I would like to thank each of you for the kind messages and for being like family members in this very difficult time for me/us. I appreciate this very much!
Heimo became more and more passionate about minerals and more specific Tsumeb minerals when his Dad passed away and he got his 'collection'. Minerals became part of his daily life and he spent many hours with identifying, measuring them, or just scrolling through the Forum.
Thanks to the Forum and special friends like Pierre & Riana Joubert for having been there for Heimo and for giving me strength in this difficult time.
A combined memorial service for Eckhart & Heimo will be on Friday 26 April and Heimo will be buried on Saturday 27 April.
Regards
Sabine

[Joan Martinez Bruguera]

It surprises me a lot, I'm sorry at heart.
My thoughts to his family. Rest in peace

[Peter Lemkin]

Very Sad! I didn't know him - but knew of him and his collecting/posts. I hope the police find the person who did this and the motive. I sense from reading the article mentioned above the police suspect that lecturer they arrested on unrelated gun/ammo charges - but have yet to find sufficient evidence to tie him to the murders - although they seem to strongly suspect his involvement in them.....

[Jamison Brizendine]

This is heartbreaking news. I always enjoyed looking at Heimo's Tsumeb specimens on the FMF Forum. My condolences to his family.

[Pierre Joubert]

Not much news:
https://www.namibian.com.na/77978/read/No-arrest-made-in-Nimt-case-%E2%80%93-police
(link normalized by FMF)