Crime sceneDetectives in Tharaka West, Tharaka Nithi County, have launched investigations into the murder of an 81-year-old woman who was found dead at her homestead with severe head injuries.
The incident was reported on Monday after the body of Julia James Kiraku was discovered lying in a pool of blood in front of a chicken coop at her home in Matakiri Village.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased was attacked at an unknown time by an unidentified assailant.
Detectives observed a deep cut wound to her head, believed to have been inflicted with a sharp object, which is suspected to have caused her death.
The scene was documented and processed before the body was removed to Marimanti Level IV Hospital mortuary, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Police have launched investigations to establish the motive behind the killing and identify the person or persons responsible. No arrests had been made by the time of filing this report.
Elsewhere, police in Ganze, Kilifi County, are investigating the murder of a 65-year-old woman who was fatally attacked at her home in what detectives suspect may be linked to a simmering family dispute.
The victim, identified as Dama Changawa, also known as Ziro, was found dead at her homestead in Malomani Village, Malomani Sublocation, Ganze Location, after she was allegedly attacked by unknown assailants during the night.
The incident was reported on Monday morning, police said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased had been walking from her kitchen to the main house when she was ambushed. Investigators believe she was attacked while attempting to unlock the door to her house, sustaining deep cut wounds to the head inflicted with a sharp object. She died at the scene.
The body was moved to the Kilifi County Hospital mortuary, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Detectives are also investigating whether the killing is connected to an ongoing family dispute that has reportedly divided the deceased’s extended family.
According to preliminary inquiries, the family recently held a reconciliation meeting at the Ganze Chief’s office in an attempt to resolve tensions following the death of Amani Kithi, a nephew of the deceased, who was killed by a mob in Mombasa last month after he allegedly ran amok and was mistaken for a thief.
Some relatives reportedly attributed Amani’s death to witchcraft, fuelling disagreements within the family. Police established that another family meeting to address the dispute was held on Sunday, just hours before the fatal attack.
Investigators are pursuing several leads to establish the motive for the killing and identify those responsible. No arrests had been made by the time of filing this report.
Police said they were pursuing good leads into the incident and others that have been reported in the past days. Such murder incidents have been on the rise amid efforts by police to solve them.
