Residents of Umrembo village in Kagonya sub-location, Ugenya, Siaya County, Kenya were left in shock after the body of a missing woman was discovered buried in a shallow grave within her homestead.
Authorities say the prime suspect, her domestic worker, has fled to his rural home in Uganda.
The victim, who had earlier been reported missing, was discovered on Monday, September 22, 2025 after her son and concerned neighbors raised alarm over her disappearance.
Investigations led authorities to the shocking discovery of her body, which had been hurriedly concealed.
The domestic worker is believed to have escaped across the border into Uganda shortly after committing the act.
Police in Siaya have confirmed that they are working closely with regional security agencies and Ugandan authorities to track down the suspect.
According to Kagonya Assistant Chief Eric Ochieng Okoth, preliminary investigation placed the person of interest at the m8rder.
“One of the sons who returned home to continue the search on Monday morning bumped into a fresh grave in the kitchen garden,” Ochieng said on Monday.
She was living with the person of interest while her children and husband resided in Kisumu, where they work.
Ochieng said the deceased son, with the aid of locals, excavated the fresh grave and landed on a sack with the body of his mother stuffed in it.
“The deceased was slaughtered, stuffed in a sack and buried in a shallow grave behind her kitchen. On the burial site, a jembe and slippers for the gardener were found,” he narrated.
The administrator said that they alerted the police, who came and helped to collect and remove the body to the Ukwala sub-county health facility.
He added that the person of interest could not be reached on the phone after the incident and police are pursuing him.
Ochieng, at the same time, warned locals against recruiting foreigners or any Kenyan without proper identification documents and a letter from the Chief.
“Members of the public must submit details of their domestic workers to the authorities for security reasons, background checks, and tracing in case of an incident,” he added.
