André Stander

The son of a prominent figure in the South African Prison Service, Major General Francois Jacobus Stander (1916–2001), André was under pressure from an early age to pursue a career in law enforcement.

[1] After his first trial, Stander claimed that his disillusionment with police service stemmed from a prior incident when he and his fellow officers shot and killed 176 unarmed schoolchildren during the 1976 Soweto uprising.

[5] Stander and McCall returned to Zonderwater on 31 October 1983, in order to spring Allan Heyl from the facility where he was taking a trade test.

From that day until the end of January 1984, the three began robbing banks together, under the nom de guerre of the Stander Gang – a term coined by the news media.

While police were closing in on McCall in South Africa, Stander had been in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, trying to arrange for the sale of the gang's recently purchased sailing yacht—the Lilly Rose—that they planned to use for their final getaway once they had acquired enough money.

Trying to make the best of the situation, Stander created the false identity of an Australian author named "Peter Harris" and forged a driver's license.

Once released on the same evening, Stander returned to the police impound lot where his seized Mustang was being kept, broke in and stole the car.

As he unknowingly rode up to the apartment complex, officer Michael van Stetina—who had been posted on the perimeter—recognised Stander and attempted to stop him.

Although officer Stetina tried to administer first aid, Stander's wounds were too extensive and he bled to death before an ambulance arrived.