Horror: London woman beats landlord to death, stabs pet cat after hearing voices

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After pleading guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility and animal cruelty after her landlord and their pet cat died in a terrifying incident in southeast London, 34-year-old Habiba Naveed was sentenced to indefinite detention under the Mental Health Act.

On Tuesday, July 24, Naveed, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was sentenced at the Old Bailey.

She can be held indefinitely until she is judged no longer a risk to the public, as the court issued a hospital order under Section 37 and a restriction order under Section 41.

The victim, 72-year-old Christopher Brown, a respected landlord and solicitor, was discovered dead in his home on Polsted Road, SE6, on August 15, 2024, according to the Met Police.

His head, neck, and chest had been traumatized by blunt force. The injuries were consistent with a brutal assault, according to a post-mortem.

When police arrived on the scene, they also found Snow, the couple’s cat, dead from a neck stab wound. Blood was discovered on a kitchen knife that was thought to have been the murder weapon as well as other places around the property.

On remand, Naveed told a doctor she had been hearing voices asking her to kill Christopher, whom she thought was possessed, according to evidence given in court. This was a frightening account of the crime.

She recounted hitting him with a pan, choking him, and carrying on the assault despite his entreaties for her to stop. She then killed Snow with a knife because she thought the cat had been infected by an evil spirit.

Naveed was regarded as a friend and had rented Christopher’s house. One of the main contributing factors to the tragic incident was her mental health condition, which was exacerbated by her illegal cannabis use and noncompliance with prescribed medication.

The investigation’s lead investigator, Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn of Specialist Crime, stated:

“Christopher was a private, respected man who placed trust in someone he lived with. His life was taken in the most brutal circumstances, and he is deeply missed by his loved ones. This case highlights the dangers of unmanaged mental illness and drug misuse.”

Before police came, neighbors said they heard a lady yelling inside the house. Later that day, Naveed was taken into custody and charged with murder.

She formally entered a guilty plea on January 27, 2025, to homicide by reduced responsibility and to causing needless suffering to a protected species.

Until mental health experts conclude she no longer presents a risk to herself or the public, she will continue to be in secure psychiatric care.

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