The identity of the lady who was brutally murdered at an AirBnB in Roysambu on January 14, 2023, has been identified as Rita Waeni Muendo.

Before her brutal killing, Muendo was a student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and was proceeding to her final year of study.

“It is with profound sorry and broken hearts that we, the Muteu family, address the media today. Our beautiful Waeni, a radiant soul in our lives, was tragically taken from as soon, at 20 years of age. She was due to join her fourth and final year at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Tecnology,” the family said in a statement,.

The family revealed that she was living with her aunt in Syokimau and she left the residence on Saturday January to meet with a friend.

“On Sunday at around 5.00am her father received a message, from her phone, demanding a ransom of Kshs500,000 within 24 hours for her release,” the statement read.

The family would then seek help from DCI and investigations commenced soon enough.

“Additional two messages were sent to the family demanding ransom. Unfortunately, the family did not get further details about the ransom or an opportunity to explore this route. Additionally, some demands were made when she had already been murdered,” the family said.

They described the Rita Waeni as an intelligent young woman who was kind and loving girl.

“We are broken and our lives have been shattered, at the loss of Waeni, and especially how she was killed. Her parents, siblings, and our entire family are yet to come to terms with this tragic event.

“Our daughter, Waeni, was an intelligent, smart girl beyond her age at the very start of her youth. She was a spirited and caring individual, known for her unwavering kindness, infectious laughter, and ability to light up any room she entered,” the family stated.

According to the Investigations. the poor victim met her killer on the Instagram app and the two hit it off and planned to go to have some time in the AirBnB.

The suspect in the murder case had been living in Ruaka, Kiambu county just four days before committing the heinous act. The suspect is believed to use a hacksaw in his mission to dismember the body. He packed the body parts in a bed sheet and later in a paper bag before disposing the remains in a dustbin.

Police have since arrested three suspects, among them is a foreigner who was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.