Detectives in Kirinyaga County have launched a manhunt for a suspect believed to be linked to the murder of a 28-year-old woman whose body was discovered in a thicket in Mwea East Sub-County.
The body of Betty Wanjiru Nyaga was found on Wednesday morning at Mugumoini Village in Nyangati Location.
Police who visited the scene noted that the victim had sustained multiple injuries, including visible wounds on the head, thighs, and legs, as well as bruises on the face.
Investigators suspect the location where the body was found may have been a secondary crime scene, as there were no signs of struggle or blood at the site.
The body was later moved to Kibugi Funeral Home for preservation pending a postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
In a related development, police reported that the victim’s boyfriend allegedly set his house on fire shortly after the murder.
Officers who visited the residence found the four-roomed mud-and-brick house completely destroyed by the blaze, with nothing salvaged.
Police suspect the house may have been the primary crime scene and that the fire was intended to destroy evidence.
The scene was documented as detectives intensified efforts to trace and arrest the suspect. Authorities said the motive for the murder has not yet been established.
Elsewhere, police in Maili Saba, Trans Nzoia County, arrested a woman after a man who had been assaulted earlier succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
The victim, identified as Geofrey Nyakundi, also known as Osoro, had been assaulted on February 6, 2026. He had been receiving treatment at Trans Nzoia County Referral Hospital but died on March 8, 2026. His body was moved to the hospital morgue pending a postmortem examination to determine the cause of death.
Meanwhile, a night guard was killed during a robbery at a supermarket in Amakura, Busia County. Police said a colleague of the deceased was seriously injured and rushed to hospital in critical condition following the Thursday dawn incident at Kotur Market.
The supermarket owner told police that he discovered the guards unresponsive when he checked the security room and, on reviewing footage, saw an invasion during which one guard was hacked to death.
Police identified the deceased as Philip Oputo, 41, whose body was found near a toilet.
His colleague was discovered unconscious with deep head injuries and admitted to hospital in critical condition.
Police said the attackers stole 15 gas cylinders from the premises and that investigations to apprehend the suspects are ongoing.
The incident has raised concerns among locals over rising crime in the area, with residents calling on authorities to take urgent action.