A compelling new true-crime documentary explores how a British woman utilized a false Facebook identity to track down the man responsible for her aunt’s murder, which occurred 6,000 miles away in South Africa.
Christine Robinson, remembered by her family as “kind” and “caring,” was also noted for her adventurous spirit. Originating from Liverpool, UK, Christine traveled globally, teaching English before eventually settling in South Africa with her husband, Robbie, where they purchased a game lodge.
After Robbie’s passing, Christine returned briefly to the UK but revisited the lodge in 2012 to “tie up loose ends.”
During this time, Christine, aged 59, was tragically raped, stabbed, and murdered at the lodge.
A Prime Video documentary, The Facebook Honeytrap: Catching A Killer, reveals how Christine’s niece, Lehanne, tracked down the murderer and cultivated a fake relationship with him to seek justice for her aunt.
In the documentary, lodge staff recount how Andrew Ndlovu, a gardener, was absent when the police arrived on the scene. Known for being “really friendly,” Andrew denied any involvement in Christine’s death but his abrupt disappearance raised suspicions.
Police discovered Andrew had fled to the border of Zimbabwe, his home country, limiting their capacity to apprehend him.
Lehanne noted that Andrew’s extradition seemed perpetually stalled.
Due to severe asthma, which required frequent hospital visits, Lehanne was unable to travel to South Africa. However, she resolved to pursue Andrew on Facebook.
In 2016, Lehanne quickly identified Andrew’s profile, though inactive. She investigated Andrew’s friends and noticed an odd pattern.
Several of Andrew’s contacts had variations of his name, with identical profile pictures. One active profile was posting on dating sites, prompting Lehanne to reach out.
She concocted a fake profile with her dogs’ names, Missy Falcao, and sent Andrew a flirtatious message about his “sexy eyes.”
Andrew responded, and their conversation revealed he was living in Johannesburg, South Africa, not Zimbabwe.
Lehanne also obtained Andrew’s phone number, aiding South African authorities in their pursuit.
Initial efforts to pinpoint Andrew’s location were unsuccessful, and when police tried to arrange a meeting through the Missy Falcao account, Andrew stopped responding.
By July 2020, eight years after Christine’s murder, Lehanne continued her quest for justice but felt at a loss for further actions.
Despite foreign office advice against posting about Andrew online, Lehanne acted when Andrew changed his profile picture.
She crafted a post identifying Andrew as her aunt’s alleged murderer, using images she found from his online presence.
The post gained traction, shared by Ian Cameron, who had been involved in Christine’s case through a civil rights organization, and soon went viral.
Subsequently, Mellissa informed Ian that Andrew had been residing in an apartment on her father’s property for a year while working there.
With Lehanne’s collected information, the police could locate Andrew. They raided the apartment, and when questioned, Andrew acknowledged their purpose.
Though Andrew initially denied involvement in Christine’s murder, witness testimony revealed he confessed to his girlfriend on the night of the crime.
DNA evidence confirmed Andrew’s involvement, matching samples from the crime scene.
Convicted of rape and murder, Andrew received two life sentences, the harshest penalty available.
Lehanne remains uncertain if Andrew realizes Missy’s role in his capture. Despite feeling “sickened” by the fake relationship, it achieved the justice Christine deserved.
The Facebook Honeytrap: Catching a Killer is currently available on Prime Video.