A photo collage of the late Elvis Opiyo and his wife Ephy Awuor./SCREENGRABThe final message from Ephy Awuor Oloo to her late husband Elvis Opiyo was one of pain, forgiveness and a promise to care for their two children.
In a deeply emotional farewell in Dholuo, Ephy addressed Elvis as “my friend” and expressed both her pain and acceptance, saying she was left to care for their children after his death.
“You really did not do right by me. You left me with the children,” she said.
Ephy said Elvis made the decision without considering their children or the plans they had made together.
“You chose to do this without even thinking about the children or the plans we had,” she said.
Acid attack case
At the time of his death, Opiyo was facing allegations over an acid attack on two women.
He had been arrested and arraigned in connection with the incident and was out on bail.
Police alleged that Opiyo had orchestrated the attack by hiring another person to carry it out.
One of the victims was 24-year-old Seventh-day Adventist singer Maryclaire, a member of the Redemption Ministers Choral Group.
The attack happened on March 17, 2026, at about 6:53pm along Ngong Road in Kilimani.
According to police, Maryclaire and another woman, who were workmates at Charge 24, were walking home when a man allegedly approached them and splashed a corrosive substance on them.
The victims suffered serious injuries to their faces, chests, arms, and lower limbs.
They were initially taken to Equity Afia and Nairobi Women’s Hospital for emergency treatment. One was later referred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised care because of the severity of her injuries.
The allegations remained unresolved at the time of Opiyo’s death.
Ephy said she had found letters Elvis wrote and left at their home, promising to act on what he had asked her to do.
“I found the letters you wrote and left in the house. I will make sure I do what you said in those letters,” she said.
Ephy promised to take care of their children and said she trusted God to help them through the difficult period.
“I will take care of our children, and I know God will help us,” she said.
Despite her pain, Ephy said she had chosen to forgive Elvis and release him to rest in peace.
“Today, I release you. You did not treat me well, but I forgive you and let you go in peace,” she said.
She also prayed that God would forgive Elvis if he had been carrying pain or hurt that contributed to his decision.
“And if you had any pain or hurt in your heart that made you do this, I pray that God forgives you,” she said.
“I know this was not what you wanted,” she added.
Their final conversation
Ephy recalled speaking to Elvis when he was not feeling well, saying they laughed and had fun during their conversation.
She said Elvis assured her that he was okay.
“We were talking when you were not feeling well. We were laughing and having fun. You even lied to me and told me that you were okay,” she said.
Elvis later left their home in Rongo for Nairobi on the evening of August 10, following a brief farewell with Ephy and their daughter.
He later called Ephy to confirm that he had arrived safely.
The following day, August 11, he was found dead in his house in Umoja Two, Nairobi, in what police treated as a suspected suicide.
Police officers from Buruburu visited the scene and found him with no visible physical injuries.
An empty plastic cup, a spoon and a small white substance suspected to be poison were found beside him. Another similar substance, wrapped in clear nylon paper, was reportedly found on a wooden table.
His body was moved to Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital Mortuary.
His death came less than two days after he took part in the opening of a camp meeting at his home church on August 9.
A life between service and music
According to the eulogy read at his burial, Elvis married Ephy in 2014, and they were blessed with two children.
He studied at Shanzu Teachers Training College for two years and graduated as a P1 teacher before joining the Kenya Defence Forces in 2012.
After completing his military training, he worked at Kahawa Garrison for more than seven years.
He resigned in 2019 and joined the National Intelligence Service, where he worked in Isiolo, Eldoret and Nairobi until his death.
Elvis was baptised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and served in various capacities.
At Siany SDA, he served as a pianist. He was also a member of Heavenly Echoes Ministers and Light House Ministers in Nairobi, where he was among the choir trainers.
