Sasha-Lee Shah and Kyle Inderlall at Milekha Inderlall-Rutt’s wedding in July. Picture: Facebook
Durban - The couple found dead in the parking lot of the Gateway shopping centre had a roller-coaster relationship that spanned more than 10 years.
On Sunday evening, Kyle Inderlall, 25, shot dead Sasha-Lee Shah, 25, before turning the gun on himself.
According to his sister,
Milekha Inderlall-Rutt, 26, Inderlall was employed at SBV Services, while Shah worked at Fidelity Services Group.
She said: “They started dating when they attended Ferndale Combined School. They were an on-again-off-again couple. Whenever they broke up, we knew they would end up back together. We tried not to get too involved but regarded Lee’s family as part of our family.”
Inderlall-Rutt said the two families lived close by, with the Inderlalls in Phoenix and the Shahs in uMhlanga. However, earlier this year, Shah moved to Westville.
“I think the distance became a bit of an issue for Kyle. But even though she was in Westville, she would still come and stay at home.”
Inderlall-Rutt said that a few months ago, the couple once again had issues. In September, Shah applied for and was granted an interim protection order against Inderlall.
“Kyle then left her alone. He was really heartbroken and was convinced Lee’s family did not want them to be together because he was Hindu and she was Christian.
“Kyle was worried that the protection order would tarnish his reputation. The matter was due to go to court this Thursday and he begged Lee’s family to withdraw the order.”
Inderlall-Rutt said that last Thursday her brother became upset when he saw Shah had posted on social media a picture of another man and had included a heart emoji.
“He was at work when he saw the post. He called us crying and we did our best to console him.”
Inderlall-Rutt said the events of Sunday came as a shock to her family.
“He picked me up from my house and was totally fine. We were having lunch together in Phoenix at my relative’s home when he suddenly vanished at about 3pm.
“He was super active and did charity work so we didn’t think anything of his absence. Later that night, Lee’s mom called and told us that Kyle shot Lee and her child was gone.”
According to Inderlall-Rutt, her brother wrote a letter which was found in the car.
“In the letter he said that the
picture of the guy triggered him but that no one could separate the two of them.
“He also said he was sorry for what he had done.”
Inderlall-Rutt said her brother had been going for therapy to help him deal with his relationship with Shah.
“From what I know, he was seeing his therapist every week. And I think Lee was as well. They both did toxic things to each other but they wanted to make their relationship work.
“They had both actually planned to move to Cape Town together but I don’t know what happened. When I went through his phone, there were recent searches for apartments in Cape Town.
“I also saw that he was planning a trip for her birthday, which is in December.”
Inderlall-Rutt said she had been asked by Shah’s family to do her make-up for her funeral, but could not because the funerals were on the same day.
“I loved Lee as a sister. She was such a wonderful person and this was quite shocking. I still can’t believe I won’t ever see them together again.”
Jerome Matther Sadayen, 24, who was Shah’s cousin, said she had moved on. “She actually got a new boyfriend last month.
“I think he (Kyle) was jealous of the fact that she had moved on. He had been unfaithful to her and was with other women so she decided to leave him.”
Sadayen said Shah recently graduated with an Honours degree in accounting from Unisa.
“She was so well-spoken. She was a loving person with a wonderful personality, heart and soul.”
Inderlall’s funeral took place on Wednesday at the Shri Vishnu Temple Hall in Whetstone, Phoenix.
Shah’s funeral also took place on Wednesday at the Merebank Adventist Church.
Lieutenant-Colonel Nqobile Gwala, a provincial police spokesperson, said charges of murder and an inquest were being investigated by Durban North SAPS.
“The suspect was also found with a gunshot wound. The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.”
In a statement, management at Gateway said it was aware of the incident and described it as tragic.
“Domestic incidents of this nature are both tragic and traumatic. Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the families.”
The management said incidents of this nature were difficult to predict and the possibility of searching every vehicle entering their parking garages would be difficult.
It said security was at the scene promptly and called for immediate backup from their tactical team, paramedics and the SAPS.
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