How a family argument led to a Bishop Lavis man receiving a 75-year sentence for murder

IOL News

5 days ago

Cevyn Kemp was sentenced at the Parow Magistrate's Court after killing his family members.
Image: File
A Bishop Lavis young man has been sentenced to 75 years in prison for the brutal murders of three members of his own family, whose bodies were discovered bludgeoned to death in the backyard of their home.
Cevyn Kemp, 20, appeared in the Parow Regional Court, where he was convicted on three counts of murder.
He was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment on each count, to run consecutively.
The court further declared him unfit to possess a firearm or ammunition.
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The killings took place on December 14, 2022, at 18 Marlin Lane in the quiet neighbourhood of Nooitgedacht, Bishop Lavis.
Provincial detectives were called to the scene in the early hours of the morning, where they discovered the bodies of Kemp's 46-year-old mother, Elmoline Kemp, his 13-year-old brother, Peter Kemp, and his 54-year-old aunt, Shireen Isaacs.
The victims were found in the backyard next to a blood-soaked mattress.
The women were lying face down while the teenager was on his back. All had sustained massive blunt force injuries to the head and face.
Kemp was the only surviving family member at the address and was taken into police custody. Forensic pathologists were called to the scene as no weapon was immediately recovered.
They later concluded that the injuries were likely caused by a heavy object such as a brick or the back of an axe.
Captain Zinele Ngqola led the investigation, assisted by constables Klerk and Sibusiso Manqindi.
On December 16, two days after the incident, the investigating team contacted a police psychologist to assist in interviewing Kemp while he was in custody.
The psychologist was taken to the crime scene before being allowed to engage with the suspect. During the interview, Kemp confessed to the killings.
He told the police that an argument with his younger brother had escalated, leading him to strike the boy multiple times in the head with a brick.
The court heard that when his mother, Elmoline, arrived home and discovered the body, Kemp said he panicked and assaulted her in the same manner.
Later that day, his aunt entered the home, and he struck her as well using the same brick.
A formal confession was obtained, and a pointing-out was conducted in which Kemp showed officers where he had hidden the murder weapon.
He admitted to washing the brick with bleach and soap before concealing it among other bricks at the property.
At the time of the murders, neighbours described being shocked by the violent deaths, which occurred just days before the holiday season.
Police confirmed that all three victims had suffered fatal head injuries, and initial uncertainty about whether they had been assaulted or shot was later clarified through forensic examination.
During court proceedings, Kemp did not dispute the charges. While initial reports suggested a possible bail application, he later abandoned this after stating that there was no one to post bail on his behalf.
Family members later claimed they were prevented from entering the court that day and had intended to support him.
Despite comments from relatives suggesting that Kemp may not have been in the right state of mind at the time of the incident, no psychiatric defence was formally raised during the trial.
"I know he was not in the right state of mind," his aunt said during his first court appearance. He's a good boy, but the medication he is taking has changed him."
The court found the evidence, including the confession and pointing out, compelling.
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