On Tuesday last week, Robert Joni received a phone call from a man who identified himself as an investigative officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) based in Naivasha Sub-County.
That call would turn his life upside down.
The caller asked whether he was the brother of Joseph Owino Jonny, a freelance videographer and photographer based in Nairobi.
When Robert confirmed that he was, the officer instructed him to report to Naivasha Police Station and if possible, to come with his parents.
Since the call came late in the evening, Robert, who a resident of Kivumbini in Nakuru Town East Sub-County, postponed the visit until the following morning.
When Robert arrived at the station around mid-morning on Wednesday, the officer he had been asked to see was not there, forcing him to wait. What followed was devastating news.
The officer confirmed that Robert’s younger brother Owino, popularly known as Myles, had been found dead.
The 24-year-old had allegedly been murdered and his body dumped in the Lakeview area along the Naivasha–Mai Mahiu Road.
Naivasha Sub-County Police Commander Wilson Sigei said the body was discovered by members of the public lying by the roadside.
Joseph Owino Johnny a freelance journalist whose body was found dumped by the roadside in Lakeview area, along Naivasha-Maimahiu road on March 3, 2026.
Photo credit: Courtesy
Mr Sigei said preliminary investigations suggest that the victim may have been killed elsewhere before his body was transported and dumped at the scene, as there were no signs that the area had been disturbed.
He noted that a few metres from the scene, a car suspected to have been used to ferry the body had been abandoned.
Detectives believe the vehicle may have been left there deliberately in an attempt to mislead investigators.
Mr Sigei also revealed that the body had deep cut wounds on the neck and thighs. Injuries that strongly point to murder.
“He was murdered somewhere else and the body dumped here. There were no signs of struggle at the scene and no blood stains. The matter has now been taken over by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations,” Mr Sigei said.
According to Robert, when he finally met the DCI officer, he was first asked several questions about his brother, including when they had last spoken.
Robert revealed that he had last communicated with Owino two weeks earlier, during a conversation about family matters.
Murdered by unknown assailants
“When we last spoke, he sounded to be in high spirits. There was nothing to suggest that his life was in danger. He never mentioned any threats,” Robert said in an interview on Sunday.
“After confirming my details, the DCI officer told me that unfortunately my brother had been murdered by unknown assailants and his body dumped,” he said.
“The news broke my heart. He was a hardworking young man trying to build a career in the creative industry. He is the sixth-born in a family of eight siblings.”
Robert said investigators told him that before his death, Owino had travelled to Naivasha for an event during the day.
Later that night, he was reportedly seen in a car with a woman.
The two allegedly stopped at a popular restaurant for a meal but did not get the food they wanted, forcing them to proceed to another facility.
According to information relayed to the family by investigators, while they were driving, another car began trailing them before eventually blocking their path.
Two masked men reportedly emerged from the vehicle, confronted the videographer and assaulted him.
“I was informed that two masked men emerged from the vehicle that had been tracking them and attacked my brother before forcing him to drive about 500 metres away, where his lifeless body was later found,” Robert said, adding that investigators had not revealed the motive behind the attack.
Robert told the Daily Nation that the woman who was allegedly with Owino on the night he died recorded a statement with police before being released.
However, the family says they have not been given details of her account.
Owino’s friends reportedly told the family that he travelled to Naivasha with the woman on Saturday evening for the event.
The conflicting accounts have left the family with troubling questions: How did events unfold after the alleged confrontation? Why Owino was found dead only a short distance away? Where is the woman who was with him on that day?
Robert says the family has sought legal guidance as they push for clarity regarding the murder and the ongoing investigations.
The body of the young photographer is lying at the Naivasha Mortuary as the family considers the next course of action, including a post-mortem examination that could help determine the exact cause of death.
“His death has left family and friends in shock. He was a creative and ambitious young man whose life was cut short under mysterious circumstances,” Robert said.
“It is important to understand what happened in the final hours of Owino’s life. Our grief is compounded by unanswered questions. We are calling for a thorough investigation into the killing. We hope the truth behind his death will eventually come to light.”
Police have since opened investigations into the incident as the family continues to seek answers over the murder of their loved one.
