Strathspey man gets life sentence for murdering mother-in-law

A 32-year-old man from Strathspey, East Coast Demerara (ECD), will spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to the brutal murder of his mother-in-law.
Linden Junior Isaacs was handed a life sentence by Justice Sandil Kissoon, who ruled that he must serve a minimum of 25 years before he can be considered for parole. The case revolved around the horrifying events of May 11, 2020, when Isaacs used an ice pick to stab his mother-in-law, 56-year-old Velma Pickering 14 times.
The murder occurred at Pickering’s Vryheid’s Lust home. At the time, she was with her three-year-old grandson when Isaacs launched his attack. According to reports, Isaacs entered the home and began his assault in one of the bedrooms, targeting Pickering with ferocity.
Despite sustaining severe injuries, Pickering managed to flee the house, seeking help from her neighbours. Bleeding profusely, she collapsed on a nearby bridge before she could reach safety. Residents rushed her to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), but her injuries proved fatal. A post-mortem examination later revealed that she died from shock and haemorrhage caused by multiple stab wounds, primarily to her upper abdomen.

The court heard that Pickering had frequently intervened in her daughter’s troubled relationship with Isaacs, who had a history of abusing his partners. Over four years, Isaacs subjected Pickering’s daughter to repeated abuse, including a violent incident where he struck her in the head with a hammer while she was pregnant. Fearing for her safety, Pickering’s daughter ended the relationship and returned to live with her mother.
Despite police reports of Isaacs’ abusive behaviour, no significant intervention was made to address the violence, leaving Pickering and her family vulnerable.
Isaacs fled the scene after the attack but was apprehended by alert neighbours who restrained him and handed him over to police at the Sparendaam Police Station. Faced with overwhelming evidence, including witness statements and forensic findings, Isaacs pleaded guilty to the charge of murder, a move prosecutors argued was strategic rather than remorseful.
During the sentencing hearing, state prosecutor Delon Fraser painted a grim picture of the crime, describing Isaacs’ actions as deliberate and heinous. He emphasised that Pickering had been robbed of her life and her family left to grapple with an immeasurable loss. Fraser noted that Isaacs abandoned his victim, showing no intention to assist her after inflicting life-threatening injuries.
The prosecution also highlighted the murder weapon—a 12-inch ice pick—as a chilling detail of the crime’s brutality. Fraser urged the court to impose a sentence that would serve as a stern warning against domestic violence and related murders, which he described as alarmingly prevalent in society.
Pickering’s family submitted an emotional impact statement to the court, detailing the profound grief and anger they have endured since her death. Leon Roberts, Pickering’s son, described her as the family’s “foundation.” He told the court, “She was our strength and guide, losing her this way has shattered us. We live with anger and despair. No one should have to endure what she did.”
The court also heard that Pickering’s grandson, who witnessed the attack, continues to struggle with severe psychological trauma and is undergoing therapy.
Isaacs’ attorney, Ronald Bostwick, pleaded for leniency, citing his client’s difficult upbringing and abusive childhood. He argued that Isaacs had expressed remorse by pleading guilty, thereby sparing the court a lengthy trial. Isaacs himself addressed the court, turning to Pickering’s family and apologising. “I am very sorry for the pain and suffering I’ve caused. I made a mistake and beg for your forgiveness,” he said.
In delivering his sentence, Justice Kissoon condemned Isaacs’ actions as calculated and cruel. He described the murder as “heinous,” noting the sheer brutality of stabbing a woman 14 times in the presence of her young grandson. The judge remarked that the crime exemplified a broader crisis of domestic violence, which he called an “epidemic” in society.
Justice Kissoon criticised systemic failures that allowed the abuse to escalate, highlighting how Isaacs’ history of violence went unaddressed by authorities. He noted that Pickering’s daughter had endured years of physical and emotional trauma before finally leaving Isaacs, only to face the ultimate tragedy of her mother’s murder.
The judge declined to grant Isaacs the customary one-third sentence reduction for his guilty plea, citing the overwhelming evidence against him and describing the plea as tactical. He did, however, credit Isaacs for time spent in pre-trial custody.
In addition to life imprisonment, Isaacs was ordered to participate in educational and rehabilitative programmes while incarcerated. Justice Kissoon stressed that harsh penalties are necessary to deter such crimes, calling for societal action to combat the epidemic of violence against vulnerable individuals.
“The prevalence of brutal killings by current and former intimate partners is a crisis,” the judge said. “The court must send a strong message that such cruelty will not be tolerated.”