Police in pursuit of key suspect in murder of mother, two daughters

Decomposing bodies of Grace Mungai, her daughters Joyce Mutheu and Sarah Mungai and a seven-month-old foetus, were discovered in a thicket in Kaseveni village in Kathiani sub-county. [File, Standard]

Residents of Kaseveni village in Kathiani sub-county, Machakos county, are yet to recover from the shock that befell them mid-last month after three bodies of their neighbours were discovered in a nearby thicket.

They now want security and investigation agencies to fast track probe into the murder most foul that unsettled their tranquillity.

On Sunday afternoon on June 14, a neighbour’s dog came home from hunting with a catch for her puppies.

The dog’s owner suspected it was not a normal catch and on checking, it was a limb of a young human.

On raising the alarm, the villagers launched a search of the source and before long they discovered it was remains of a neighbour’s child that had been reported missing together with her pregnant mother and elder sister.

The decomposing bodies of the trio, and a foetus were discovered and authorities notified.

Tellingly, the man whose wife and two daughters had been reported missing is still at large and authorities say they are still pursing him.

The bodies were identified as thos of 28-year-old Grace Mungai and her daughters Joyce Mutheu (eight) and Sarah Mungai (four) and a seven-month-old foetus. Detectives have identified 23-year-old Amos Wambua, Grace’s husband, as the primary suspect.

Meanwhile, a neighbour Benjamin Kikuvi and the village elder Simon Mbuvi joined the suspect’s father, Ezekiel, to call for urgent apprehension and prosecution of Wambua even as the families continue to plan the victims’ burials.

The father recommended the ultimate punishment for his son if found guilty of the crime.

“I feel an immense pain,” he said. “If that boy is caught, and convicted of the murders, let him serve the State for the rest of his days. Let him rot in Kamiti Prison.” According to the suspect’s family, Grace and Wambua had only been married for six months, having moved in together in January 2026.

Described by the family as a gentle soul, Grace first moved to Kathiani to start a new life with Wambua before the daughters were later picked from her matrimonial home later.

“They got married in January, and soon after, Wambua’s mother went to Kitui to fetch the children, Joyce and Sarah, so they could live together,” said Anastasia Wambua, the suspect’s sister.

“Grace was very gentle. She hardly caused trouble.” Family spokesman Edward Mbuvi confirmed that the children were handed over in good faith.

Yet, within just two months of the children arriving in Kathiani, they would all be dead.

Wambua’s father, suspects Wambua allegedly committed the crime when no one else was at home.

“It seems he waited until his mother had travelled to eliminate his family.” Ezekiel says when he asked about the whereabouts of the three, he was involved they could have travelled back to their home in Kitui.

Grace’s father, Paulo, says the killing of his daughter and granddaughters has traumatised him ever since he learned of it.

“It’s completely soul-crushing. I have just come from the hospital mortuary. She doesn’t even look like a human being anymore,” he said on the day he went to identify the bodies at the Kathiani hospital mortuary.

Investigators say Wambua had attempted to erase evidence by packing the victims’ bloodied clothing into a gunny bag.

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) lastly traced Wambua’s phone signal to Kajiado county before the device was switched off.

As the hunt for the 23-year-old intensifies, detectives have arrested the suspect’s mother and is currently in police custody as a person of interest. Kathiani Sub-County Police Commander George Kashimir told The Standard they will prefer murder charges against her.