Murder-suicide: Meru man kills wife, hangs self on a hill
Inset: Lorna Kinya was allegedly killed by her husband Kenneth Kimathi (Inset) who later hanged himself. Background photo: Residents of Amwari village in Tigania West, Meru county Mill around Kiarui hill where a man who allegedly killed his wife hanged himself.
What you need to know:
- Kenneth Kimathi separated from his wife Lorna Kinya around November last year after a troubled two-year relationship.
- Kinya’s body was discovered in a thicket on Tuesday while Kimathi’s was found hanging from a tree on Wednesday.
Kenneth Kimathi separated from his wife Lorna Kinya around November last year after a troubled two-year relationship. Kinya moved to Nairobi and joined her sister Lucy Ntinyari where they hustled selling food in the streets, with the inseparable sisters sharing life experiences.
It was during one evening that Kinya opened up to Ntinyari, and told her of Kimathi’s constant threats on her life.
Two weeks ago, Ntinyari told her she was travelling to their home at Amwari, Tigania West and asked her to remain in Nairobi fearing that her estranged husband would make good the threats. But Kinya insisted she would join her sister, saying she wanted to recover her identity card which Kimathi had confiscated.
Then last Friday, the worst happened. Kimathi lured Kinya, promising that all was well and that they would live happily ever after. Little did the 20-year-old know that the life he meant was eternal.
In an incident that has shocked the entire village, Kimathi allegedly took her atop Kiarui hill popular with lovers on picnic and killed her. It was a double tragedy for the residents since Kimathi hanged himself on a tree some 500 meters further up the hill that accords a panoramic view of the entire Tigania West sub-county and parts of Meru town some 16 kilometres away.
Kinya’s body was discovered in a thicket on Tuesday while Kimathi’s was found hanging from a tree on Wednesday.
According to a report from Nchiru police station, Kinya’s body was discovered by herders.
“It was established that the body was one Lorna Kinya a Meru female aged about 20 who had gone missing since March 8, 2024. Upon further scrutiny, the body’s right breast was missing, multiple bruises, the tongue protruding a sign of strangulation and the eyes missing. The face was badly damaged, around the body were pieces of ropes with knots, a pair of blue sandals, a panga stained with blood, blue jeans and a brown jacket,” the report said, adding that the body was moved to Miathene hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem.
Both families said they were shocked at the turn of events, with Ntinyari narrating how on the fateful day she spent good times with her sister at home, taking photos with Kinya’s two-year-old son and doing jigs on Tik Tok.
“I was not comfortable with my sister in Meru so I kept watch over her and monitored each move,” she said.
“I don’t know how she slipped from my watch. At around 8 pm she excused herself saying she was going somewhere but did not disclose the location. Grudgingly, I let her go...I wish I had refused.”
Earlier on at around 7pm, Kimathi had walked into Kirimi Mwitikua’s shop and asked whether there was a rope.
“I told him I did not have one so he bought two packets of milk and a loaf of bread. He was unusually jovial and we joked that he was happy since he had reunited with his wife. Since he did not appear stressed I did not suspect anything and told him to buy the rope from the next shop. I wish he opened up to me, we would have resolved the matter since he was my friend,” Mwitikua said.
Ntinyari said she got worried after her sister’s phone went off on Saturday morning.
“I mobilised residents and we went to Kimathi’s house. We broke the door and on entering, I sensed trouble. There were two empty milk packets and a half-eaten loaf of bread. For the first time I had a feeling that my sister was not alive,” she said.
Charles Mungania, Kimathi’s father said he was shocked that his son had committed such a heinous act. “I am their father and I feel the pain. What I can say for now is that we will bury them in the same grave as husband and wife according to our traditions despite their troubled relationship,” he said.
Area sub-chief Mr Josphat Kabui said the incident was “the first we’re witnessing in this area. I call on young people to settle their issues amicably because there is no need to kill each other.”
