A Kenyan man has been arrested for the alleged murder of his wife in Killeen, Texas, United States (U.S).
John Gitau Mwangi, 42, is accused of fatally shooting his 37-year-old wife, Esther Gitau, multiple times.
Killeen Police Department officers responded to a welfare check call at the couple’s residence on Friday, February 21, at approximately 7:15 p.m. Upon arrival, they found Esther with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics at 9:29 p.m.
Authorities believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic violence incident. Two young children were inside the home during the tragedy but were found unharmed and unaware of the events that had occurred.
Following an investigation by the Robbery-Homicide Unit, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Mwangi. He was located and arrested at Fort Cavazos, where he was stationed. Mwangi is currently being held without bond.
Similar incidences
This is not the first time a Kenyan has been arrested for murder in the U.S. As recent as December 2024, Nobert Matara, a man of Kenyan descent, was arrested in Delaware after the remains of a woman who had been reported missing were found in his vehicle.
Investigations began in earnest in December 20, 2024 when officers from the New Castle County Division of Police responded to a distress call from Village of Kent Apartments.
The police had been contacted by the employer of 31-year-old Tracy Nyariki, who was concerned after she failed to report to work for several days. Upon reaching at her apartment, they were unable to locate her.
During the course of their investigations, police uncovered suspicious circumstances that raised concerns about Nyariki’s safety and well-being. They then issued a Gold Alert and notified detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit.
In their investigations, sleuths identified 32-year-old Matara as a potential person of interest. On Saturday, December 21 at approximately 5:00 p.m (local time), the detectives sought assistance from the Aberdeen Police Department to locate Nyariki, Matara and his vehicle.
“Detectives from the New Castle County Special Investigations Squad and the Aberdeen Police Department located Nobert Matara and his vehicle in the 1100 block of South Philadelphia Boulevard,” New Castle County Police said. “During the investigation, dismembered human remains were found in Matara’s vehicle, resulting in his immediate arrest.”
Nobert Matara was taken to a holding facility in Maryland and is awaiting extradition to Delaware. Once transferred, police say he will be arraigned on charges of “One Felony Count of Murder First Degree.”
“Additional charges may be filed against Nobert Matara as evidence continues to be collected in this ongoing investigation,” the police added.
