The man accused of murdering an 83-year-old Phoenix grandmother and attempting to kill his mother has been denied bail in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court. Lincoln Moodley, 20, appeared for a formal bail application on Thursday, 5 February, where the court ruled that he would remain in custody pending further legal proceedings.
The Phoenix community was left reeling following the fatal stabbing in Hexham, which claimed the life of Kamatchee Naicker, a blind pensioner. The attack also left her 63-year-old daughter critically injured and fighting for her life in hospital. Residents were deeply shaken by the violence that erupted inside the family home, which was discovered when a relative forced entry on 9 June 2025.
The elderly victim was declared deceased at the scene after sustaining multiple stab wounds to her face and body. Her daughter suffered a slit throat and wounds to her cheeks, neck, and hands before being stabilised and transported to a medical facility. At the scene, police recovered a blood-stained butcher knife in the passage, along with a second smaller knife that had bent during the sustained attack.
Moodley was arrested shortly after the incident by Phoenix SAPS and charged with murder and attempted murder. While the motive remains under investigation, a relative, who requested anonymity, told the Phoenix Tabloid that the family remains deeply traumatised. “We are still asking ourselves why he did something so terrible. We are traumatised and horrified while some family members are even seeing psychologists due to the trauma. It was very gruesome,” the relative said.
The relative further noted that while Moodley’s mother has physically recovered, she suffers from significant memory loss as a result of her injuries. “We are happy that bail was denied. We want to see justice for the two family members, more so the grandmother who was blind and unable to defend herself,” the relative added.
In the wake of the incident, messages of condolence and widespread calls for justice have flooded social media, with community members describing the crime as “heartbreaking” and “devastating.”
