After a court martial, Handcock (along with Harry "Breaker" Morant) was convicted and executed for the murders of nine Boer POWs and three other civilians.

Two weeks later, he fatally shot a South African missionary, Reverend Daniel Heese, possibly out of the fear that he would report his crimes.

[5] Morant quietly told his men that when the Stadens reached a clearing, to wait until he said “lay down your arms,” then shoot the three after they calmed down.

When Handcock and the two other soldiers pointed their rifles at the Stadens ready to fire, the family looked at them confused and scared.

[5] Handcock and Morant were court-martialled, convicted, and executed in Pretoria by a firing squad drawn from the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders on 27 February 1902 on murder charges for shooting nine Boer POWs.