Probe as dismembered body of woman discovered in Roysambu Airbnb

The shocking sequence of events began when a male guest, in charge of booking the room, returned the key early on Sunday morning before abruptly disappearing.

The manager of the Airbnb property, Risper Muthoni, revealed that the unknown suspect had secured the room on Saturday, January 13 at 3 p.m. 

Muthoni told the media that, as per the policy, once payment is made, guests are entitled to an uninterrupted stay until the scheduled check-out time.

So it was not until Sunday morning that the macabre discovery was made, after the caretaker reported finding suspicious polythene bags and a blood-soaked bed sheet on the staircase.

After multiple futile attempts to receive a response, Muthoni and her team entered the unlocked room where everything appeared normal, save for blood stains at the door. 

They then made a report at Kasarani police station. 

According to Muthoni, the police were given the suspect's identity as well as relevant CCTV footage from a nearby location where the he picked the premises’s keys. 

Law enforcement officers were seen handling polythene bags and a blood-soaked bedsheet, which was thought to contain the remains of the deceased woman on Sunday. 

Jimmy Kimari, the head of Kasarani Divisional Criminal Investigations, who was present at the scene, issued a stern warning of impending crackdowns on Airbnb operators who did not have security cameras installed and urged them to keep detailed guest records.

The discovery of the woman’s body comes barely a week after police arrested John Matara, a suspected serial offender believed to have killed socialite Starlet Wahu inside an AirbnB in ​​Nairobi’s South B area. 

Police discovered Wahu's lifeless body in a pool of blood inside the flat after the Airbnb's security reported the incident to authorities.

HIV test kits, used condoms, a bhang, a bottle of alcohol, and a blood-stained kitchen knife, believed to be the murder weapon, were recovered at the scene.

Police reports further indicate that there were signs of a struggle between Wahu and her killer, as the scene appeared bloody, disarrayed and chaotic.

Matara reportedly left the premises in a hurry on Thursday morning, wearing bloodstained clothes. 

He was apprehended at Mbagathi Hospital, where he was being treated for a stab wound to his stomach.

Wahu was buried on Saturday at her parents' home in Ruai's Kamulu area. 

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Sunday evening said investigations currently point to “a possible serial sexual offender who thrives on blackmail to his victims,” and who may be part of a criminal ring that targets women on dating sites and social media.