Main suspect in murder of US-based Nyamira couple arrested

Police in Nyamira County have arrested a 40-year-old man believed to be behind the gruesome murder of a U.S-based couple who were on vacation in the region in March this year.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), in a statement released on Saturday, said Denis Ondara was arrested on Friday after a four-day chase that ended at the Isebania border in Migori County.

Detectives tracked down Ondara after receiving a tip-off that he had been spotted in Ruai, but he managed to temporarily evade the sleuths before eventually being apprehended.

"The officers moved with speed and as they were closing in on him, he slipped their dragnet by the skin of his teeth. But unbeknownst to the suspect whose minute of arrest was nigh, the determined sleuths had trailed him and were breathing down his neck waiting for the most opportune moment to pounce," read the statement.

"Today (Friday) at 3pm, the sleuths posing as hawkers along the border struck in one swift move and whisked the armed suspect away without firing a single shot, leaving a cloud of dust whirl in their wake."

The suspect, upon being searched, was found in possession of a firearm and an assortment of spanners, nuts, screw drivers and pliers which the DCI believes he used to break into vehicles.

"The suspect is also believed to be behind a number of reported robbery with violence and murder incidents in Nairobi, Nyamira, Kisii and Migori counties. So far, 3 suspects have been arrested in connection with the twin murders," said the DCI.

"The successful investigation into this case was also made possible through the research and analysis conducted by detectives based at the Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau, and the Cyber Forensics team from the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, that placed the main suspect at the scene of the murder on the night of the attack."

Edward Morema and his wife Grace Mong'ina Morema were found murdered in their home on March 21, 2023.

According to the autopsy report conducted on the two bodies at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, Mr. Morema was hit two times on his head with a blunt object and sustained three stab injuries on his ribs, while his wife Grace died out of strangulation.