Police have arrested the prime suspect in the brutal murder of 30-year-old Jackline Awuor, a security guard whose dismembered body was discovered in a quarry in Bahati, Nakuru, on March 29.
The suspect, identified as 35-year-old Evans Abutu, was tracked down to his ancestral home in Navakholo, Kakamega County, following a joint operation by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and local police. He has since been transferred to Nakuru to face murder charges.
According to Nakuru North Sub-County Police Commander Charity Karimi, the suspect was apprehended after an intelligence-led operation that also led to the rescue of Awuor’s three-year-old daughter, whom he had fled with.
“After we traced him to Kakamega, we mobilised a team that ambushed and arrested him. We consulted with the DCI Homicide Department headquarters before transferring him to Nakuru,” said Ms Karimi.
Ann Atieno (left) is comforted by a neighbour on March 30, 2026, as she address the media following the murder of her sister, who was allegedly beheaded by her husband in Bahati, Nakuru County. Police have launched a manhunt for the man, who escaped with the head and their child.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi, Pool | Nation
In a chilling turn, the suspect reportedly led investigators to the location of Awuor’s head, which he had dumped in an abandoned quarry about 500 metres from where her torso had earlier been found. Officers also recovered a blood-stained sweater and a knitted hat believed to have been used to wrap the head.
Police further recovered the suspected murder weapon,a kitchen knife,from a pit latrine where the suspect had allegedly disposed of it.
“The head has been taken to PNN Mortuary for DNA analysis to confirm it matches the body. The suspect will be arraigned in court as detectives seek more time to complete investigations,” Ms Karimi added.
Awuor had left her home on the morning of March 29 for work but never arrived, prompting concern among her colleagues. Described as diligent and punctual, her unexplained absence raised alarm when supervisors failed to reach her by phone.
Her employer filed a missing person report, triggering a search that led to the grim discovery of her body, still clad in her work uniform. Investigators had earlier recovered personal items, including gloves and earrings, near the scene.
Ann Atieno (left) is comforted by a neighbour on March 30, 2026, as she address the media following the murder of her sister, who was allegedly beheaded by her husband in Bahati, Nakuru County. Police have launched a manhunt for the man, who escaped with the head and their child.
Photo credit: Boniface Mwangi | Nation
Family members say Awuor had recently been under emotional strain. Her elder sister, Ann Atieno, recalled their last meeting three weeks before her death.
“She was stressed because she was about to start leaving her daughter at a daycare,” she said.
The suspect is said to have cohabited with Awuor for four years, and the two share a child. While friends describe her as jovial, they noted that she had recently become withdrawn—raising questions about possible domestic tensions.
As investigations continue, the case has once again cast a spotlight on rising cases of intimate partner violence, with family and friends now demanding justice for the slain mother.
