A prominent Jewish researcher in South Africa was kidnapped and murdered in a chilling ransom plot that unfolded over just a few days, shocking the local Jewish community.

The victim, Steven Gruzd, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, was abducted in Johannesburg on the evening of Thursday, March 27, according to local reports.

Authorities believe the kidnapping was part of a fast-moving “express kidnapping” operation, where criminals abduct victims and quickly attempt to extract money or valuables.