Investigations into the horrific murder of Deonay Waigh who was doused with petrol and set alight, allegedly by her jealous berk, have not yet been completed.
This was revealed at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday as murder accused Joshua Phillips, 29, returned to court.
Phillips, who abandoned his bail application last year, is accused of setting his girlfriend alight and fleeing from the scene as the 32-year-old woman was rushed to hospital.
Her cousin Jade Baartman, 26, said Waigh, who was from Pelikan Park, died in hospital due to her injuries.
He explained that she had gone to visit her sickly father in Parkwood shortly before Christmas and her family had lost touch with her.
On Christmas Eve, they received a call from Phillips’ family to say Waigh had been burnt and rushed to the hospital.
Baartman explains: “When we got to the hospital, we could still smell the petrol and the doctors tried to save her life. She had 50% burns and the doctors said her heart gave in and her lungs collapsed as her organs also burnt.”
The jealous berk also sent a voice note in which he confessed to dousing Waigh with petrol and said he had planned to set himself on fire as well.
Phillips appeared via the Audio Visual Remand and the case was postponed to 3 May for further investigations.
On Wednesday, Baartman said the family is still struggling to come to grips with Waigh’s death.
He says: “It is still a process for us. It’s a big loss for us. It was her brother’s birthday last week and when we asked him what was wrong, he said he misses her. Every day we look at her photos and there is no laughter in the house anymore.”
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