Kenyan man charged with murder of firewood delivery man in US
Christantus Omondi. He has been arrested and charged with murder in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States.
A Kenyan man has been arrested and detained on murder charges after allegedly killing a man who was delivering firewood to his neighbour in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
Christantus Omondi, 27, is said to have come out of his house naked and charged at the man delivering firewood, beating him to death.
Mr Omondi has been charged with murder, aggravated assault on a security officer and obstruction. He is being held at the Tarrant County Corrections Centre.
The incident occurred during one of the coldest winters to hit America's Midwestern states in recent weeks, with at least 30 people dying in the biting cold.
Mr Omondi's neighbour, who declined to give his name to the media, is said to have hired the deceased to deliver the firewood to warm his home, but this turned tragic when he and the delivery driver were viciously attacked by the Kenyan man, who was allegedly naked.
"The driver was killed by a naked man who beat him to death with the firewood he was delivering, according to documents filed in court.
Police in Texas, who confirmed the incident, said that after Mr Omondi attacked and killed the firewood deliverer, he allegedly went back into his rented room and threatened to kill another person who lived there.
"The victim was just doing his job, dropping off firewood at a residence in Fort Worth. The homeowner came outside to help him," police said.
Police added: "The homeowner was able to escape the attack. He says the suspect was belligerent and extremely violent.
The survivor of the attack, who had contracted the firewood deliveryman, told the Dallas media: "I believe that he was out to murder both of us.
After police officers were called to the home, they found Mr Omondi naked in the freezing winter weather and arrested him.
Officers found the victim, 51-year-old Scotty Jackson, dead in the front yard with "severe blunt force trauma" to the head and neck.
The homeowner told police he had called Jackson to buy firewood. When Jackson arrived with a U-Haul full of wood, the naked man approached him, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
According to the warrant, Mr Omondi has a criminal record that includes evading arrest and holding a security guard at gunpoint.
