Donovan Moodley's bio: age, fiancée, parents, profiles, is he still alive?

Donovan Moodley was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, 10 years for extortion, and 15 years for kidnapping. He pleaded guilty to Leigh Matthews' murder and the other two crimes in 2005. The university student was abducted and killed in July 2004. Leigh's father, Rob Matthews, opposed the court's decision to grant Donovan Moodley parole in June 2021.

Leigh Matthews was a 21-year-old BCom student at Bond University in Sandton. Mzansi is among African countries with the highest crime rates, including murder and gender-based violence. Hence, Leigh's death is among the many heinous murder cases that have received extensive media coverage for years. Find more details regarding Donovan Moodley below.

Profile summary

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Who is Donovan Moodley?

Donovan is a South African convicted murderer. He abducted Leigh from Bond University, her captive, and demanded ransom from her family. After receiving R50 000 from her father, Donovan ordered Leigh to strip, cover herself with a blanket, and turn away from him.

Moodley then shot her once in the head and thrice in the body. He pleaded guilty to murder, kidnapping, and extortion in 2005. Donovan began serving his sentence on 4th August 2005.

How old is Donovan Moodley?

Donovan Moodley's age should be 41/42 years in 2022. He was born in 1980 in Alberton, South Africa.

Donovan Moodley's family

Donovan Moodley's parents, Mary and Stephen Moodley, and his sister Michal were ashamed of his actions but supported him throughout the trial. The lady he was to marry also stood by him.

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Educational background

Donovan was a student at Bond University South Africa at the time of his arrest in 2004. As a result, the school refused to let him continue studying there. He, therefore, joined a law degree programme at UNISA while in jail.

Who was Donovan Moodley's fiancée?

Moodley had proposed to Yeshika Singh before he was arrested for murder.

Yeshika Singh and Donovan Moodley's love story

She was shocked and devastated when he pleaded guilty. Yeshika told reporter Iman Rappetti during an exclusive interview with 702 Talk Radio that her fiancé's behaviour never indicated that he was capable of adduction and murder.

Yeshika knew Donovan's family for 15 years, and they dated for 8 years. He broke off their engagement before the court completed his trial.

Yeshika would reach across the media bench during court adjournments and grasp his hand as he was led to the cells below. She had this to say when Moodley pleaded guilty:

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Friendship and love cannot be dissolved overnight. And I will continue to be there for Donovan. I believe that he has shown remorse and that he is truly sorry.

His family was to pay Leigh's family the R50 000 Donovan took from them as ransom within two weeks to get back Yeshika's engagement ring and Moodley's Ducati motorcycle and Toyota Tazz. Yeshika's elder sister Marishka defended her to 702 Talk Radio, saying:

If she doesn't have an expression on her face, it doesn't mean that she's not dealing with it inside. When she feels it's safe and secure, she'll reveal what she's feeling.

Donovan Moodley's fiancée left South Africa for the Czech Republic in 2010. Meanwhile, his family and close friends lead low-key lifestyles.

Donovan Moodley and Leigh Matthews' murder case

Leigh Matthews was a Bcom student at Bond University when she was kidnapped from the school’s parking area on 9th July 2004. The abductors sought an R300,000 ransom from her father, businessman Rob Matthews.

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Rob paid them R50,000, but his daughter never came back home. Two weeks later, a municipal worker (a grass-cutter) found the lifeless and naked female body at Walkerville in Johannesburg on 21st July 2004.

Leigh's body had four gunshot wounds and appeared to have been frozen. Retired investigating officer Piet Byleveld later identified Donovan Moodley, a then 24-year-old student at Bond University, as the main suspect.

Donovan Moodley's sentence

Moodley pleaded guilty to murder, abduction, and money extortion at a Johannesburg High Court on 5th July 2005. The presiding judge, Joop Labuschagne, gave him life imprisonment for murder, 10 years for extortion, and 15 years for kidnapping. The judge noted that his accomplices might have gotten away.

Donovan Moodley’s illness and appeal

Donovan lost weight and suffered from a degenerative eye condition in 2010. He made frequent visits to the prison doctors. Former detective Piet Byleveld hoped his deteriorating health would make him expose his partners in crime, but Moodley seemed focused on protecting them.

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Donovan applied for retrial in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg in 2012, claiming he was framed and three drug dealers named Frank, Allie, and Jemba planned the abduction and forced him to participate.

Moodley also said he pleaded guilty to protect his family from the drug dealers, and the former investigating officer Piet Byleveld tortured and coerced him to take the blame during interrogation.

Additionally, Moodley claimed the R50 000 was not deposited into his bank account. He argued that he was a financial manager and would not do that if he planned to kill Leigh for money.

Donovan represented himself during the retrial after three lawyers turned him down. Prosecutor Zaais van Zyl dismissed Moodley's argument that "he was too smart" to have committed the crime.

Zaais said the drug peddlers Donovan mentioned seemed to be ghosts since there was no evidence of their existence. Moodley vowed to continue fighting for his freedom after the court dismissed his appeal.

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When will Donovan Moodley be released?

Reports emerged in June 2021 that the Johannesburg Medium B Correctional Services Centre in Meredale could release Donovan due to a pending parole hearing.

Leigh Matthew’s family and Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) objected to it, claiming he neither disclosed the whole story nor showed remorse.

The Matthews met Moodley face-to-face for the first time, 17 years after Leigh's death. Moodley sat across the table and looked healthy, well-groomed, and with a new haircut.

Where is Donovan Moodley now?

The Department of Correctional Services stated that the parole decision would remain pending until they finalized talks with Leigh’s family. In addition, the parole board recommended Moodley remain in jail.

Is Donovan Moodley still alive?

Donovan might still be alive in 2022, but there has been no news about him and the case.

People have many unanswered questions about Donovan Moodley's case. He confessed to committing the crime but countered his words during his retrial. In addition, the drug dealers mentioned in his appeal seemed non-existent.

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Source: Briefly News