Neighbors peep into the one bed roomed house where Joseph Waikwa, 54, hacked his wife of thirty years Zeripah Gathoni, 50, to death before hanging himself at Gathundia village in Karima area of Othaya in Nyeri County over what close relatives said might have been sparked off by domestic squabbles. [Mose Sammy/Standard]

A couple was yesterday found dead in their house in an apparent murder-suicide.

Joseph Waikwa, 54, is suspected to have killed his wife at their Gathundia home in Othaya before killing himself.

Mr Waikwa's body was found hanging in the bedroom early yesterday morning by his teenage son. Police later stumbled on the bloodied body of his wife, Zeripah Gathoni.

Ms Gathoni had been stabbed in the eyes, abdomen and legs. A bloody machete and knife were found beside the body.

The couple had been married for 30 years.

Neighbours said the couple had been fighting constantly for the past two months and were even estranged for a while.

“She left her husband and went back to her parents, but they reconciled and she moved back in with him just a week ago,” said a neighbour.

According to Joel Mwaniki, a farm hand, the couple’s youngest son grew suspicious when his mother had not woken up by 8am.

“He tried knocking on their door but there was no response. When he looked through the open window he saw his father's body hanging from the ceiling,” Mr Mwaniki said.

“We looked through the window and could see only the man in bloodied clothes. There was also blood on the bed but we could not see his wife.”

Neighbours then called the police who broke into the house.

The couple's son and Waikwa's elderly mother live in the same compound but both said they had not heard any commotion.

This is the third incident in the county this year where a domestic dispute has ended in death.

In Meru County, police stopped a mob from lynching a trader following the disappearance of his employee.

Martin Mitheu went missing in Mandera County three weeks ago. 

Mr Mitheu had travelled to Mandera from Maua in his employer's lorry to deliver supplies before he disappeared.

Yesterday, Igembe South police boss Rashid Mohammed told The Standard that they intervened when a rowdy mob stormed the trader’s premises in Maua town on Friday.

Mr Mohammed said they intended to hand the matter over to police in Mandera, where the incident was first reported.

According to the police, the trader said he had reported the employee missing in El Wak.

“He said the loader alighted from the vehicle saying he needed to use the toilet but did not return,” said Mohammed.