Loading summary
Transcript21 lines
- [00:01]
Carter Roy
Hi listeners, it's Carter Roy. Real quick. Before today's episode of Murder True Crime Stories, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts. This his crime house. Lots of little girls grow up imagining their wedding day. They want the perfect dress, a delicious cake, a beautiful venue, and most importantly, their Prince Charming. In 2009, 27 year old Annie Hindocha thought she'd found her fairytale ending when she met a 29 year old man named Shriane Diwani. He was handsome, wealthy and came from a similar cultural background. A year and a half later they were married and jetting off to Cape Town, South Africa for their honeymoon. What started out as a dream come true turned to tragedy when the couple's taxi was hijacked in the middle of the night. The investigation that followed made Annie's family question everything they thought they knew. Because according to South African detectives, this was no random act of violence. What happened to Annie was carefully planned and her new husband was the mastermind. People's lives are like a story. There's a beginning, a middle and an end, but you don't always know which part you're on. Sometimes the final chapter arrives far too soon and we don't always get to know the real ending. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories, a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. New episodes come out every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Friday's episodes covering the cases that deserve a deeper look. Thank you for being part of the Crime House community. Please rate, review and follow the show and for ad free access to every episode. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. This is the first of two episodes on the 2010 murder of 28 year old Annie Diwani in Cape Town, South Africa. Today we'll meet Annie and her new husband, Srian Diwani. They were a jet setting couple with connections all over the world and their marriage was no different. In October 2010 they had a lavish ceremony in India, then flew to South Africa for their honeymoon. It was supposed to be Annie's happily ever after. Instead it turned into a nightmare. Next time we'll continue the investigation into what happened that fateful night. On Although the police arrested three suspects almost immediately, they claimed they were only tools in a larger conspiracy. It would take several more years to unravel the truth. And even today, Annie's case remains one of Cape Town's most enduring mysteries. All that and more coming up. You know that moment in spring when you open your closet and you think, do I really need all this? I do. Lately I've been trying to keep fewer pieces, but ones that actually feel special and wear well every day. And that is why I keep coming back to Quint's. Their linen pants and shirts are lightweight, breathable and comfortable. I literally have one on right now. And the kind of pieces that make spring mornings effortless. And their flit activewear. Oh soft moisture wicking anti odor. Honestly, I wanna live in it. The best part is the value. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen. So you're getting premium quality at prices 50 to 60% lower than similar brands. Everything is made to last and simplifies getting dressed. Refresh your wardrobe with quints. Go to quints.com crimehouse for free shipping and 365 day return. Now available in Canada too. Go to Q-U-I-N-C-E.com crimehouse for free shipping, and 365 day returns. Quince.com crimehouse just got a new puppy or kitten.
- [05:21]
Lemonade Pet Insurance Advertiser
Congrats. But also yikes. Between crates, beds, toys, treats and those first few vet visits, you've probably already dropped a small fortune. Which is where Lemonade Pet insurance comes in. It helps cover vet costs so you can focus on what's best for your new pet. The coverage is customizable, sign up is quick and easy, and your claims are handled in as little as three seconds. Lemonade offers a package specifically for puppies and kittens. Get a'llemonade.com pet your future self will thank you. Your pet won't. They don't know what insurance is.
- [05:57]
Carter Roy
Annie Diwani grew up with a unique understanding of the world. Her parents, Vinod and Neelam Hindocha, had Indian heritage but grew up in uganda. But in 1972, the president of Uganda forcibly expelled the Indian minority. At that point, Annie's family became refugees and were granted asylum in Sweden. They settled in a small town called Meristab. A Decade later, on March 12, 1982, Annie was born. She was the second of three children with a magnetic personality and a good head on her shoulders. At home, she was the apple of her father's eye. At school, she naturally drew people towards her and she was the kind of person who always knew what to say to put her friends at ease. She was also incredibly creative as a teenager and he developed a love for high fashion and even even did some modeling. She probably could have pursued it full time, but chose to prioritize her education instead. In the early 2000s, Annie got her engineering degree from a Swedish university. Shortly after, she took a job as a product designer at a major tech company called Ericsson. By all accounts, things were going great for Annie. She had a high paying job, a loving family and good friends. But one thing was missing. Someone to share her life with. It seems like Annie dated here and there, but nothing ever stuck. And by the time she was in her late 20s, Annie was getting desperate. More than anything, she wanted to settle down and start a family. But she did have some caveats. Her ideal partner was successful, came from a similar cultural background and and also loved to travel. In 2009, Annie was 27 years old and went to visit some extended family in London, England. While she was there, she asked them to set her up with someone. They had the perfect man in mind. 29 year old srian Diwani. Annie and Srian had a lot in common and instantly hit it off. Like Annie, Srian had Indian heritage and strong connections to Africa. His mother was also from Uganda, while his father was from Kenya. Eventually, Srian's dad moved to the UK where he became a pharmacist and opened a series of nursing homes. His company, PSP Healthcare, took off and before long the Diwanis were multimillionaires. Poor Shirian and his siblings. This meant fancy vacations, ritzy private schools and valuable connections. Still, that didn't mean Chien was just floating by. After graduating from college with an economics degree, he took a job with a consulting firm, Deloitte. He wanted to sharpen his accounting skills before taking over the family business. By 2009, he was 29 years old and running PSP Healthcare with his older brother. It was a lot of work and whenever Srian had downtime, he liked going out and partying with friends. It was fun for a while, but eventually Chien was ready for the next chapter of his life. So when he met Annie Hindocha in May of that year, it felt like a sign from the universe. And she seemed to agree. Even though she was only in town for a limited time, she cleared her schedule to meet with Sienn for coffee, dinner and a night out to see the Lion King. Musical. A series of magical dates left her smitten. Before she returned to Sweden, the couple decided to take the plunge and try a long distance relationship. But it was only natural that such a speedy start led to some bumps down the road. One of the things Chie Ann loved most about Annie was her confidence. She was just as ambitious and sure of herself as he was. But that also meant neither one of them ever backed down from a fight. Over the next seven months, their long phone calls became increasingly tense. They were constantly arguing over the smallest things. By January of 2010, 28 year old Annie had enough. She broke up with Sri Ann. But he wasn't willing to let her go. Desperate to prove himself, he vowed to do anything to win her back. And whatever he did, it worked. Because by March, Annie had quit her job and moved to England to be closer to him. It seemed like things got better after that. And in May of 2010, after about a year of dating, the pair announced they were getting married. That month, Chirian chartered a private jet and flew Annie to Paris, France, where he officially proposed to her. A few months later, he was in Las Vegas for his bachelor party. At the same time, he and Annie were planning a jaw dropping ceremony in Mumbai that October. Leading up to the event, Annie and Srian had a lot on their plate and the stress was clearly getting to them. As the months wore on, they were back to arguing. But this time the disagreements weren't all petty. Srian reportedly had low hormone levels that potentially affected his ability to have children. For Annie, who'd always wanted to have kids, this was a very big deal. After talking it over, Chrienne decided to undergo testosterone replacement therapy for his condition. Condition. The treatments had some serious side effects, including a greater risk of developing blood clots. But for Sri Ann, it was worth it. He wanted to show Annie that he was serious about having a future together. It seemed like that was enough to get them back on track. Soon they were talking about the multiple homes they planned to buy after the wedding. And the couple wanted one. One in the city of Bristol where the Diwanis company was headquartered, as well as a weekend place in London. Walk in closets and separate sinks were a must. But even dreams of mansions and exotic vacations couldn't keep the couple from butting heads. By September, the wedding was just a month away and Annie was thinking of calling it quits yet again. This time, Srian was prepared. The 30 year old pulled out all the stops to win her back. And in the end, Annie decided the two of them could work through their problems, on October 19, the couple jetted off to Mumbai. 300 people attended the lavish three day ceremony and watched Annie Hindocha become Annie Diwani. There was delicious food, live elephants and an altar sculpted in the shape of the Taj Mahal. By the time the newlyweds flew back to Bristol, they were all smiles. They celebrated in England by checking on their new house which was still under construction, then left again for their honeymoon. Their final destination was Cape Town, South Africa. Neither Srian nor Annie had ever been there and and both loved the idea of seeing more of the world. But what really sealed the deal for them was a cosmic coincidence. Sriann and Annie's initials were S and A, just like South Africa. On November 7, 2010, they landed at the Cape Town International Airport and took a connecting flight to Kruger National Park. The next four days should have been a dream and they'd even booked a luxury safari camp to enjoy the great outdoors in style. But according to another guest at the park, a woman named Chloe Spelling, the dynamic between Annie and Sri Ann was odd. Chloe said that initially she spent a lot of time with the newlyweds. They were fond and excited excited about the safari. But soon Chloe noticed some strange things about Sriann and Annie's relationship. Although they just got married, Sriann and Annie never kissed in public. Chloe only saw them touch one time later when Annie excitedly took pictures of a pride of lions on the safari shrine. Sneered at her claiming there was no point in snapping photos. That was just one outsider's impression, but it matched up with some texts Annie sent to the people closest to her. Just two days into the honeymoon, on November 9, she messaged her cousin to say she wasn't happy. She and Shiryen were fighting so much that she regretted getting married. It seemed that even after the wedding, their relationship was still a roller coaster. Despite their issues, the couple finished their four day stay at the safari camp, then flew back to cape town on November 12th. They had six days left of the trip which they planned to spend at the five star Cape Grace Hotel on November 13th. The couple spent the afternoon sunbathing at the park pool. But by the evening they were restless and ready to go out. After enjoying a drink at the hotel bar around 6:30, Annie was craving sushi. Chienne got in contact with a taxi driver, 30 year old Zola Robert Tongo. A week earlier Zola had picked them up from the airport and got them to their hotel safely in Cape Town. That was a big deal because local crime was so high. Just walking through the city could be dangerous. Finding reliable transportation was crucial, and Zola seemed like a trustworthy contact. At around 8pm Zola drove to the Cape Grace Hotel to pick up the couple. When Annie asked him to recommend a sushi spot, he took them to a small place called the Surfside Restaurant. It wasn't the kind of place Annie and Srian would have necessarily chosen. The restaurant was located in a dingy shopping center and served cheap food. Plus, they were in the mood for a party. But the clientele at Surfside was older and quieter than they wanted. During the quick meal, Annie reportedly told Srian she wanted to do something exciting to see the real Africa. The two of them had already toured the upper class areas of Cape Town, and she was eager to see where regular people lived. The couple left surfside at around 10.24pm and got back into Zola's taxi. Once inside, they asked Zola to show them a different side of the city. He suggested going through a township called Gugulhtu, located around 12 miles west of Cape Town. It's an underdeveloped area filled with thousands of towns, tightly packed, dilapidated huts. Residents there have unreliable plumbing and most of the streets are unpaved. In short, it's not the kind of place anyone goes unless they live there, especially not a pair of rich foreigners. Still, according to Srien, he and Annie enjoyed winding through the dark, cramped streets. But eventually, as the taxi slowed down to make a right turn, Annie turned her attention to her phone, pulling up photos from the safari a few days earlier. That's when she heard an impact on the windshield. Her honeymoon was about to turn into a horror story.
- [18:35]
Obsession Movie Advertiser
Focus features in Blumhouse Obsession When I
- [18:39]
Katie Ring
have a crush on a guy no
- [18:40]
Obsession Movie Advertiser
one knows, Be careful.
- [18:42]
Carter Roy
I wish Nikki loved me more than anyone in the entire world.
- [18:45]
Obsession Movie Advertiser
Who you wish for? Obsession is 96% fresh on rotten tomatoes.
- [18:51]
Carter Roy
I love you so so so so much.
- [18:54]
Obsession Movie Advertiser
It's blood soaked nightmare fuel.
- [18:56]
Carter Roy
Brooke Hunger spills. You put on her.
- [18:58]
Obsession Movie Advertiser
You have been warned. Obsession Rated R under 17. Animated without parent. Only in theaters May 15 with special engagements in Dolby.
- [19:06]
Katie Ring
This episode is brought to you by Prime Obsession is in session and this summer Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice off campus. Elle every year after the Love Hypothesis, Sterling Point and more. Slow burns, second chances chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime.
- [19:39]
Carter Roy
On November 7, 2010, Annie and Srian Diwani arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, for their honeymoon. After a whirlwind engagement and a lavish wedding ceremony, the couple had seen their fair share of ups and downs. But by November 13, the sixth night of their trip, things seemed to be going okay. They finished a late sushi dinner at around 10:30 and asked their taxi driver, Zola Tongo, to show them a different side of the city. He took them to a nearby township called Gugulhedu. Sometime around 10.45pm as the car slowed down to make a right turn, someone jumped in front of the vehicle and banged on the windshield. Through the darkness, Srian could make out two hazy figures waving pistols. A moment later, the first gunman forced Zola into the passenger seat. Then the second climbed in the back and scooted next to Annie and Srien. When the car started moving again, the hijackers robbed them. First they took Chien's wallet and his designer watch. Then they stole another watch and a diamond bracelet from Annie. Unbeknownst to them, Srian had encouraged Annie to tuck her engagement ring between the seats of the cab. Once they turned the jewelry over, the gunman pulled to the side of the road and kicked Zola out. But they were refused to let Annie and Chien go. They could only watch through the window as the only person they knew in Cape Town faded into the distance. The hijackers drove several miles further through a series of winding back roads before making their next demand. This time they wanted cell phones. Chien handed over Annie's and pretended he didn't have one of his own. But the gunman in the backseat insisted on patting him. It didn't take long to find what he was looking for. He pressed his gun to Shrianne's temple and vowed to kill him if he lied again. All Shrien could do was keep silent and hug Annie tight as she continued to cry. All of a sudden, the driver accelerated, blasting over speed bumps and down narrow alleys. Annie yelled for the hijackers to let them go, which only made the men furious. They jammed their guns in her face and ordered order her to shut up. Finally, after at least 20 minutes of driving, they slowed to a stop. Again, they told Sriann and Annie that they only wanted the taxi. They weren't going to hurt anybody. But to make sure they could get away clean, they were going to let the couple out of the car one by one. Chien refused. He held on to Annie until the gunman physically pulled them apart. Then, with a gun to his head, they told him he could either leave the car or die. As one of the hijackers forced him. Through a back window, Chirien took one final look at his wife. He watched as the car vanished into the night. By that point it was past 11pm Chien was stranded on the side of the road in a deep, dangerous area of a foreign country. With no phone and no cash. And as far as he knew, his new wife had just been kidnapped. Panicked and unsure what else to do, Chien approached some nearby shacks and banged on the doors, screaming for help as tears streamed down his face. A local happened to be driving by and could tell he was desperate. The stranger pulled over, listened to Srian's story and called the police. The Authorities arrived about 20 minutes after midnight on November 14th. Once they heard what happened to Annie, they immediately sent out a helicopter to search for the taxi by air. A veteran officer, Lt. Col. Mark Barkhazen, was in charge of the initial sweep. And right from the start, he knew the stakes were high. A wealthy British couple had been kidnapped on their honeymoon. There was bound to be worldwide media attention soon. He ordered every available vehicle to blanket the streets, feverishly searching for Annie. Hijackings were fairly common in the area. Usually the attackers rob the passengers then drop them off in a secluded area the same way they'd done to Srian. So at first the the police hoped Annie would be found safe and sound relatively quickly. But as the hours passed, their confidence started to wane. While law enforcement pounded the pavement, Srian got in contact with Annie's family. After he told them what happened, her father Vinod hopped on the first plane to Cape Town. It was a long red eye flight from Sweden. Vinod arrived in Amsterdam at 6am on November 14. As he waited for his connection to South Africa, he called Srian at the hotel repeatedly. There was still no sign of Annie. It wasn't until two hours later, at around 8am that investigators finally located the taxi and things didn't look good. The hijackers had abandoned it on the side of a two lane road next to an open field. From the outside the vehicle looked normal. But as soon as an officer approached the back window, his stomach turned. Inside, Annie's body lay covered in blood. He could tell right away Annie was dead. Within hours of the discovery, news of Annie's death was splashed across headlines all over the globe. For the Cape Town Police Department, solving her murder became their number one priority. But unfortunately there wasn't a lot to go on. Chrienne could only give a general description of the hijackers faces. The taxi driver, Zola corroborated his story but couldn't Fill in many specifics. That meant it was up to forensics experts to try and ID the killers. And they hit an early jackpot when they took a closer look at the taxi windows. Because one of the gunmen knocked on the windshield before stealing the vehicle, experts were able to get a complete palm print from the glass. They hoped that would lead them to Annie's assailants, but it would take a few days to run the evidence through their database. In the meantime, pathologist Dr. Janet Verster examined Annie's body. She determined that Annie had several bullet wounds, which all came from a single shot. She theorized that Annie must have flinched before the gun was fired, throwing up her hands and ducking her head. The bullet first traveled through her hand, then punctured her chest and neck, and finally exited from her back. In addition, there were five bruises on her fingers, thumb, and the side of her leg. This suggested that Annie's assailants had restrained her before the murder, though there were no signs of sexual assault. Based on all that, Dr. Verster believed they held her down, killed her inside the taxi, then left her in the backseat and fled the scene. For Cape Town detectives, the nature of Annie's death was surprising. According to the World Health Organization, Cape Town has one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world. A full third of South African women experience some kind of physical violence in their lifetimes. That said, these kinds of crimes rarely involve tourists, and and hijacking victims typically don't end up dead either. If anything, detectives would have expected the kidnappers to ask for a ransom once they realized Annie and Chienne were wealthy. Something just wasn't adding up. The police couldn't understand why the hijackers had left Shirienne and Zola unscathed, then spontaneously decided to murder. Murder Annie. Once she'd been robbed, there was no obvious reason to hurt her. None of the forensic evidence suggested there was a fight before her death. And if murder was the plan from the beginning, releasing two victims who might be able to identify them was a major mistake, especially since Zola was a local. Then there was the fact that the taxi was left out in the open on the side of the road. Usually in these situations, the assailants would have stripped the vehicle of all valuables, then burned it to destroy the evidence. Leaving a blood soaked body in the backseat without even covering it up was practically like asking to be caught. That was what the authorities were thinking in the early hours of their investigation. But they weren't the only ones who thought something was off. In the midst of all the media attention, the people of Guguledu were as outraged as anyone. Many of them told journalists that something deeper was lurking beneath the surface. This wasn't the kind of crime they were used to. Many believed that local criminals would know better than to murder a high profile tourist. As detectives and residents debated what was really going on, the Diwani's taxi driver kept coming up. He seemed to know more than he was letting on. There was something strange about Zola Tongo.
- [30:07]
Plan B Advertiser
With Plan B Emergency contraception, we're in control of our future. It's backup birth control you take after unprotected sex that helps prevent pregnancy before it starts. It works by temporarily delaying ovulation and it won't impact your future fertility. Plan B is available in all 50 US states at all major retailers near you, with no ID, prescription or age requirement needed. Together we've got this. Follow Plan B oninsta at Plan B. One step to learn more.
- [30:34]
David Ridgeon
Use this directed Jacqueline Furlan Smith, a 40 year old former Canadian military trainer, moves to Costa Rica to follow her dreams. But in the summer of 2021 vanishes without a trace.
- [30:49]
Carter Roy
How can a woman just go missing and us put out all that effort to find her and she's still missing?
- [30:56]
David Ridgeon
I'm David Ridgeon and this is Someone knows something, Season 10 the Jacqueline Furlan Smith Case, available now on CBC, listen and wherever you get your podcasts.
- [31:10]
Carter Roy
On November 13, 2010, 28 year old Annie Diwani and her new husband, 30 year old Srian, were driving near a township in Cape Town, South Africa when their taxi was hijacked. The gunman released Srian as well as the driver, but refused to let any go. The next morning her body was found in the back of the car. She had been shot and killed. Right off the bat, several details struck the police as odd, especially when it came to the taxi driver, 30 year old Zola Tongo. Zola was interviewed right after the hijacking. Since his story matched up with Sri Ann's, they let him go for the night. But the next day, on November, November 14, law enforcement called him in to give another statement. At this second interview, Zola stuck to his original story. In the interrogation room, he seemed at ease, even confident. Although he said he was sorry about what happened, he didn't seem overly emotional or guilty. After about an hour, the police let him go. So far, they didn't have any reason to doubt Zola. But one of the lead investigators, Captain Paul Hendrickse, had a gut feeling he was hiding something. Still, it was just a hunch. The best lead they had at that point was the forensic evidence from the vehicle. And sure enough, just a couple of days after discovering Annie's body, experts found a match for the palm print on the windshield of the taxi. It belonged to zolili Mungeneni, a 26 year old man from the township where Annie was killed. And because this wasn't his first brush with the law, his fingerprints were already in the police's database. Detectives were surprised to see that all of his previous charges were dropped. He had never been to jail before, but that was about to change on the night of November 16th. So Lilly was arrested at his Guguletu home and taken down to the Cape Town police station. Initially, he insisted he had nothing to do with Annie's death. But once the detectives told him they had his prints, Zoli knew he'd been caught. At that point, he freely confessed to the crime. He also gave them the identity of the other hijacker, a man named Mawewe. According to Zolily, his partner was the one who shot and killed Annie after she refused to hand over her purse. Zolily's arrest was a major win for the Cape Town authorities. In only two days, they'd managed to nab a suspect in one of the most high profile cases they'd ever faced. Even better, they'd already identified the killer. It was almost too easy. The following morning, on November 17, they held a press conference to announce Zolily's capture. A few hours later, they searched the township for Moiwe. They didn't find him, but they did find one of his friends. And he swore up and down that Mbue was with him on the night of Annie's death. After looking into his story, the police determined he was telling the truth. Zolily had lied to them, which meant Annie's killer was still on the loose. While the police continued their investigation, Srian and Veenod, Annie's father, were grieving at the Cape Grace Hotel. At some point, their conversation turned to the wedding ceremony in Mumbai. That's when Sriann remembered Annie's engagement ring tucked between the seats of the taxi. He called one of the lead detectives, Captain Paul, and asked if they could search the cab floor for the ring. Another officer found it exactly where Cherienne said it would be. Captain Paul was so surprised that he reviewed Chirian's official statement taken just hours after the hijacking. Originally, Chien told police that he had personally handed over the engagement ring to the gunman. He said it was worth the equivalent of $40,000 and that it was the last thing he gave the attackers before they kicked him out of the taxi. After having this realization, Captain Paul decided to talk to Sri Ann again. When he asked him about the discrepancy, Srian insisted that he was in shock during his first interview and must have misspoken. It wasn't unusual for a witness or a victim to make mistakes when talking to the police. But Captain Paul felt like Chien wasn't being completely honest, especially because right after he said he was in shock, Srian made up some sort of excuse to leave the station. Captain Paul kept replaying their conversation in his head. But by November 17, just three days after Annie's murder, Srian and Veenod were anxious to get back to the UK to organize the funeral. They left South Africa that night and arranged for Annie's body to be transported out of the country the next morning. On the 18th, detectives interrogated Zolily again. This time he finally revealed the true identity of the killer, a 25 year old named Miziwam Amdota, kwa bae. It took another full day for an informant to lead the police to their man. Like Zolilli, Kwabe wasn't the type of violent offender the authorities expected. In fact, he didn't have a criminal record at all. At the station, he told police that a middleman had tasked him and Zolilli with committing the hijacking. This third person, a man named Monde, wasn't on law enforcement's radar either. Like Kwabe, he didn't have a record. As far as they knew, he was just a normal citizen. By that point, the case was getting weirder with each passing day. Police arrested Monde at his apartment and interrogated him in a room next to Kwabe. At one point during the questioning, Kwabe got up to use the bathroom. As he passed by Monde's room, he said in English, tell them everything. Monde nodded, took a deep breath and confessed to the police. His story changed everything. They knew about the murder. Monde said he was friends with the Diwanese taxi driver, Zola. The day before Annie was killed. On November 12, Zola visited him at work and asked if he knew a hitman. Monde was caught off guard, but he didn't say no and he didn't ask any other questions. After thinking it over, he called up his friend Kwabe over the phone. Zola offered Kwabe a job. He said he was scheduled to bring a wealthy couple into the township the following night. The husband, Sriandiwani, wanted his new wife killed. He'd hired Zola to stage a robbery and make it look like a hijacking gone wrong. With a single statement, Monde had turned the case upside down. Just hours earlier, Chien had left the country and flown thousands of miles away. Now the police realized they might have let a major suspect slipped through their fingers. That said, the police didn't believe Monde and Kwabe right off the bat. And there was no actual evidence that Chien was involved in Annie's death. And the two men clearly had a reason to blame the murder on someone else. The detectives decided the key would be the taxi driver, Zola Tongo. Monde didn't just accuse Chirien of setting up the crime. He also said Zola was the person who got him involved in the first place. At that point, Zola probably knew it was just a matter of time until he was the one in the hot seat. So to get ahead of things, he reached out to a defense attorney, who advised him to voluntarily turn himself in. After learning that three other men had already been arrested for Annie's murder, Zola agreed to fully cooperate with the investigation. And that's when he changed his official story. When Zola initially spoke to the authorities after the murder, his and Srian's accounts of the evening more or less matched up. Now Zola said he was lying. In reality, Srien was behind everything. While the detectives tried to wrap their heads around Zola's admission, annie's family was 8,000 miles away. In Indian culture, you usually want to bury a loved one within three days of their death. By this point, it had already been a week. So on November 20, there was a general sense of urgency about the funeral. But according to Annie's relatives, Srian was unusually adamant about getting it done as quickly as possible. For example, Annie's side of the family wanted to hold a gathering to say goodbye to her in private. But Chien refused to let them, claiming they had no time. So without his knowledge, Annie's cousins arranged to visit the funeral home the morning before her cremation. The they read her letters, scattered flowers around her body, and said their final farewells. Srian arrived just as they were finishing up and was furious to find them meeting without his knowledge. He gathered up the flowers and the letters, threw them on the floor in disgust, then stormed out. Annie's cousins were left in tears. That might have been the first time they started to doubt Srien, but it certainly wouldn't be the last, because a few days later, they learned about Zola Tongo's confession. All of a sudden, no one knew what to believe. Either the hijackers were lying to save their reputations, or Srian Diwani was hiding something. And as the investigation progressed, detectives would find more than one skeleton in his closet. Thanks so much for listening. I'm Carter Roy and this is True Crime Stories. Come back next time for part two on the murder of Annie Diwani. True Crime Stories is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, Rimehouse on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Murder True Crime Stories where wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly makes a difference. And to enhance your Murder True Crime Stories listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free. We'll be back on Thursday. True Crime Stories is hosted by me, Carter Roy and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode will was brought to life by the Murder True Crime Stories team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benidon, Natalie Pertofsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Tara Wells, Haniya Said, Cassidy Dillon and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.
- [43:46]
Katie Ring
I'm Katie Ring, host of America's Most Infamous Crimes. Each week I take on one of the most notor criminal cases in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.
- [44:01]
Carter Roy
Thanks for listening to today's episode of Murder True Crime Stories. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts.