Police officers on Sunday January 21 recovered a human head believed to belong to the slain Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) student Rita Waeni.
According to police reports, the head was found in a dam in Kiambaa, Kiambu County and has since been taken in by detectives for preservation and forensic analysis.
The officers also obtained other belongings of the slain university student at the scene including her mobile phone.
“We have a human head believed to be that of the slain woman, but we will say more after probe,” said an officer.
Also, detectives probing the murder case noted that they are pursuing crucial leads for the apprehension of the culprit who they suspect is a serial killer.
Further, examinations including toxicology analysis, are underway to determine if Waeni was drugged before her brutal murder.
Also Read: Autopsy Report Reveals How Rita Waeni Was Murdered
Contrary to earlier reports, detectives believe the killer could be Kenyan, as witnesses mentioned that the perpetrator spoke Swahili during interactions.
Police Probe Rita Waeni Murder
Furthermore, preliminary findings suggest the murderer used a fake line registered in a woman’s name to communicate with Waeni and lure her to the crime scene.
The plot thickened after the family revealed that the killer demanded a ransom of Sh500,000, threatening to kill Waeni if the payment wasn’t made.
The family reported the extortion attempt to the police, initiating the investigation. Likewise, messages sent from Waeni’s phone depicted the chilling scenario, with the killer sending a picture as he prepared to carry out the gruesome act.
The complexity of the case has deepened with the revelation that the murderer maybe a professional killer evident in the meticulous dismemberment of the body and the mysterious clipping of Waeni’s fingernails.
Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor on Saturday highlighted that the attempt to remove fingernails could be an effort to conceal DNA evidence, adding a layer of mystery to the investigation.
Also Read: Rita Waeni Close Friends Give Account of Her Personal Life
“It looks like the killer knew what they were doing because when you look at the skin. It looked like it was cut with a sharp object and when you look at the bone, it was sowed off with what looked like an axe sow,” he explained.
“When someone is killed, normally the person tried fighting back so we might get some DNA of the person,” he added.
The government pathologist said that they have taken samples for the analysis which will help the police to further apprehend the person.
Waeni’s remains were discovered wrapped in a plastic bag and sheet strategically placed in a dustbin at an airbnb in Roysambu area along Thika Road.
