Two months before Pietermartizburg rapist and murderer Anthony Joseph Reddy (62) was set to have his parole reviewed, he was found dead in his prison cell on Sunday. His victims’ families had mixed reactions about his death.

Reddy was convicted for the murder of mother of two Anusha Singh (33) in 2006 and, a year later, for the rape and murder of his 14-year-old niece, Ferina Reddy, in 2003.

Following, a successful attempt at opposing Reddy’s parole application in 2020, Singh’s family were again holding their breath as the time drew near for his parole to be reviewed again.

At the time of his death, he had served 15 years and five months out of the three life sentences handed to him.

Singh’s husband, Pranzo Maharaj, says he feels relieved and has a sense of closure after hearing about the death of Reddy.

“This man was supposed to be released back into our society and we did not want anyone else to face what we had gone through.

“We find some form of comfort in knowing that he that he died,” says Maharaj.

In December 2020, Reddy was set to get parole after his sister Theresa Reddy, the mother of Ferina, gave her approval for his release.

When Capital Newspapers visited Theresa in 2020, she said she had forgiven her brother for raping and murdering her daughter.

“I have embraced my brother. We are talking now, and I sent a letter to approve his parole. I want him to spend time with his family. I do not want to comment further on the matter,” she said at the time.

In 2020, Maharaj said he shuddered to think that the man who killed his wife will be walking the streets, after only serving 14 years of his sentence.

In 2006, Reddy had falsely manipulated Singh into believing that her husband was having an extra marital affair.

He extorted payments from her, promising to provide proof for her. One day, he lured her to an isolated spot in Lotus Park, where he promised to finally hand over photographs backing up his claims.

However, when he failed to provide the evidence, Singh realised she had been conned and accused Reddy of lying to her. Reddy testified that a scuffle ensued, in which Singh fell and struck her head on a brick structure. He then gagged her and stabbed her twice.

Reddy became known to Singh’s family while working as a handyman.

“He was someone we thought that we could trust. He was in and out of our home,” Maharaj says.

However, Reddy soon started sowing seeds of contention in his wife’s head.

“There was not much conversation between us [at the time of Singh’s death]. There was this indifference that I noticed in her. My wife and domestic worker at the time went to Derby Place on November 10, 2006, to do shopping. Our domestic worker then called me to inform me that Anusha’s car was not in the parking lot.”

Maharaj heard the final moments of the assault when he tried to call her.

“I called her and I heard the sound of frogs and insects in the background. Then I heard a bit of the assault. She was murdered that day. We searched the whole of Pietermaritzburg. Her body was found the next day in Stork Road,” says Maharaj.

Reddy pleaded guilty to the murder of Singh. He also confessed to the rape and murder of Ferina, which he committed in 2003.

His niece’s body was found tied to a tree at the Northdale Trim Park. She had been strangled with her school girdle. A medical report confirmed that she was raped.

Ferina’s elder brother, who asked not to be named, says he was glad that Reddy died in prison, as he would not want a man like him back in the community.

“He is dead now. We can’t get our sister back, but at least he is in a place where he can’t come back and hurt anyone. It is scary to think a man like him was going to be released back into our community.”

He adds that their father died a year after his sister’s death, due to the grief.

“My father could not bear what happened to Ferina. We never suspected Anthony. He came with all of us to identify her. He was supportive at the funeral, although, he never walked to the front, probably because he felt guilty for what he did.

“Looking back, there were so many signs that he was guilty. We saw him with scratch marks and we asked him about it. He said that it was his girlfriend. We then saw that he wore long sleeves for two weeks, even when it was hot. All of this only made sense after he was arrested,” says Ferina’s brother.

Communications manager for the Department of Correctional Services in KwaZulu-Natal, Ketho Khuzwayo, confirmed Reddy’s death, and says that the cause of death is being investigated.