Kiambu murders: What we know so far
Members of the public look on at the Jikaze IDP camp in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County, as detectives dig up weapons used to murder a family in Kiambu as well as their foreman, on January 9, 2021.
As the mystery of the shocking Kiambu murders deepens, here is a look at what we know so far.
Four members of the same family -- Nicholas Njoroge Warunge, Ann Wanjiku Njenga, their 13-year-old son son Christian Njenga and adopted nephew Maxwell Njenga, also 13 -- were killed alongside foreman James Kinyanjui, who had been working at a construction site within the family’s home. The murders took place at their home in Kiambaa’s Karura Village on the night of January 5.
Two siblings escaped the attack as they were not at home at the time. The high school students have since been taken to a safe house for protection.
On January 9, the family’s eldest son, 22-year-old Lawrence Simon Warunge, was arrested as the prime suspect in the murders. Also arrested was his girlfriend who is suspected to have helped hide weapons used to commit the gruesome crimes at Jikaze IDP camp in Maai Mahiu, Nakuru County.
On Sunday, detectives said Lawrence confessed to killing his family and the foreman and did so by himself. He said he first murdered the farmhand then opened the gate and proceeded to kill his mother and two children.
As his father escaped through the balcony, he was hit by an electric shock. He fell and Lawrence followed him to the gate where he stabbed him to death.
The suspect further claimed that he was influenced by “Killing Eve”, a British psychological thriller television series whose main character, a psychopath named Villanelle, shows no remorse for her murders and can't relate with emotions.
The matter was brought up at the Kiambu High Court on Monday morning, with the lead detective expected to seek more time to investigate the matter before charging Lawrence and accomplices.
It is expected that the court will order a mental assessment test for the suspect to determine his fitness for a trial.
Post-mortems were also set for Monday at the Kenyatta University Funeral Home.
On Tuesday, Lawrence will accompany detectives to his parents’ home in Karura Village to help re-enact the crime scene.
He is expected to voluntarily give a detailed account of events, right from initial planning to execution of the murders, as well as the subsequent disposal of the weapons.
The foreman will be buried on Tuesday at this parents’ home in Kinangop.
