Husband found hanged after murder
Venessa Pillay, who is thought to have been murdered by her husband. Venessa Pillay, who is thought to have been murdered by her husband.
PIETERMARITZBURG - Police are to mount a large-scale search in Albert Falls for the body of Pietermaritzburg mother Venessa Arelene Pillay.
Her husband was found hanged hours before he was to point out the location.
Ravi Chetty, 44, who police believed kidnapped and murdered his common-law wife, was in a holding cell at the Mountain Rise Police Station. His bail application had been postponed.
Chetty, believed to have been unempolyed, was found hanging in his cell on Friday morning. It is believed strips of mat were used to end his life, taking the secret of what happened to his wife and the mother of their three young children to the grave.
Pillay vanished without a trace over four months ago.
Chetty had been initially charged with defeating the ends of justice and perjury in relation to the case of his missing wife, but based on information presented by the investigating officer, Captain Eshone Manickum, the State added charges of kidnapping and murder.
A police source close to the investigation said Chetty had been subjected to intense questioning and had eventually relented, agreeing to point out the body on Friday at 11am in the company of his lawyer.
Police suspect Pillay’s body may be concealed in the greater Albert Falls area. The search operation was put on hold on Friday, given the vast area involved and to allow technical experts, using cellular data, to narrow the search team’s focus.
“What is known is that cellular data indicates he visited Albert Falls several times shortly after his common-law wife went missing. It is a vast area with difficult terrain and anywhere along the riverbanks would involve exposure to crocodiles that infest the area.
“It is going to be a tough job for the police but it has to be done once they have clearer location data,” said the police source.
It was also confirmed that Chetty was arrested last year after police uncovered a conspiracy to have Pillay murdered.
It is believed he approached two men living in the Khan Road, Northdale, informal settlement and offered them cash to assist with the murder.
When arrested he had a rope, a knife and petrol. The intelligence-driven investigation concluded Chetty, helped by accomplices, intended to murder Pillay and burn the body.
Pillay’s mother, who did not want her name published, was devastated when she heard of Chetty’s death.
“He is a coward for doing what he did. He didn’t confess and took the coward’s way out, leaving three young children without a mother or a father,” said the mother.
“Even though my instinct as a mother told me that something terrible had happened to my daughter, I always hoped she would return. We now know that she won’t, but we don’t know what happened to her. How will we ever find closure if we don’t find her?”
In the wake of Chetty’s suicide, details are beginning to emerge, from friends and family, that he was prone to violence and had abused his common-law wife for years.
“He was very abusive towards Venessa. She would always be fleeing to her family, but he would lure her back, promising to change. It was as if he was bipolar or had a split personality. He could be charming the one minute and the next completely different,” said a relative who did not want to be named.
The latest developments have added to the family’s trauma. Shortly after she went missing in July, the family received anonymous text messages purportedly sent by her asking that they “give her space”.
In August they received another text message that stated: “I will come back when I am ready. Tell Ma I am sorry”.
However, after police released a missing person’s report that was published by the media, the family received a third text message, again purportedly from Venessa, expressing anger that the report appeared in the media
“It just didn’t seem right. The tone and words used led us to believe that it wasn’t Venessa who sent the text messages. Why would she abandon three beautiful young children? It just didn’t make sense,” said a close friend of the missing woman.
“We now know what we suspected then. Why would he have killed himself if he was not guilty?” said Pillay’s mother.