Sad news for the automotive world on this otherwise quiet day, as Uwe Gemballa was found dead in South Africa recently.

Gemballa, founder of the tuning company which shares its name with him, went missing way back in February, and we haven’t heard from him since. He was reportedly on a trip to meet some business partners. However, shortly after he arrived, his family received a ransom call. Not much has been heard on the case since, other than a vast array of rumours that he might be hiding due to financial difficulties.

His body was discovered last Tuesday wrapped in cellophane film west of Pretoria, with dental comparisons recently confirming his identity. He was likely shot because the ransom was not paid.

The prime suspect at the moment seems to be Radovan Krejcir, a rich Czech fugitive who had various dealing with Gemballa. They reportedly had an argument over money, resulting in his kidnapping.

Our condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues. We’ll bring you more details as they become available.

Source: Stern.de (translated) | Image: ducktail964 / CC-BY-2.0