Millionaire German heiress, 26, is mysteriously found shot dead a day after 'close friend' died from gunshot wounds at the same South African safari lodge

By ELIANA SILVER, SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 12:20, 12 June 2026 | Updated: 12:23, 12 June 2026 A German shipping heiress was found dead from a gunshot wound at her family's luxury South African safari lodge, just one day after a close associate was also discovered shot dead on the same estate. The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Caroline von Rantzau, 26, and financial manager Arno Koën, 44, have sparked growing mystery at the family's private Leeuwfontein hunting reserve in South Africa's Limpopo province. Initial reports put out by her family's shipping company claimed von Rantzau had died in a car accident on June 1. However, police have since confirmed that both deaths involved firearms. According to reports, Koën was found dead on May 31 after suffering a gunshot wound from a 9mm pistol.  A day later, witnesses allegedly heard two shots coming from von Rantzau's room on the estate. Police investigations later revealed that the businesswoman had also suffered a deadly gunshot wound. Von Rantzau is believed to have been shot with a .357 calibre hunting rifle.  According to one witness cited by Bild, the weapon came from the gun cabinet of her father, Dr Eberhart von Rantzau. Von Rantzau (pictured) is believed to have been shot with a .357 calibre hunting rifle South African Police Service officers spent two days investigating at the family's estate (pictured), collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses South African Police Service officers spent two days investigating at the family's estate, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. Investigators have not publicly disclosed the precise circumstances surrounding either death and have not announced any suspects. However, no others are currently under investigation. The deaths have sent shockwaves through the prominent German shipping family. Von Rantzau was considered a rising figure within the famous Hamburg shipping dynasty.  Her father is managing director of Deutsche Afrika-Linien GmbH, which sold its container shipping business to Hapag-Lloyd in 2022. The family also holds interests in container depots in South Africa. The 26-year-old had reportedly built a life for herself in South Africa and had recently purchased two additional properties in the region bordering Mozambique. Friends and acquaintances said she cared for animals at the luxury safari lodge and was a passionate hunter. Reports also suggest she shared a particularly close relationship with Koën, who handled financial matters and managed guest bookings at the estate. According to Bild, she described him to friends as a kind of 'foster father' and 'mentor'. Police spokesman Malesela Ledwaba said autopsies would now be carried out on the bodies as investigators seek to establish exactly what happened. 'The results of the autopsy will give investigators information about the actual causes of death and will determine whether investigations will be launched against other persons,' he said. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.