Government pathologist Johansen Odour has revealed that the post-mortem examination conducted on 20-year-old Rita Waeni's body last week was inconclusive in determining the exact cause of her death.
Speaking to the press, Odour explained that it was difficult to determine the presence of strangulation marks on the neck and evidence of blunt trauma on the body.
The pathologist's findings showed how well-calculated the killer orchestrated the murder, in a bid to conceal evidence. Odour noted that the discovery of a head, believed to be that of the victim, would aid in the investigations upon further analysis.
However, the post-mortem exam was postponed to a later date to allow detectives from the Homicide department at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to analyse the existing forensic analysis.
The detectives also requested enough time to review the CCTV footage which captured the key suspect picking keys to the short-term rentals.
How Oduor Plans to Conduct the New Autopsy
According to Oduor, the head had stayed in the water for days, softening the skin's outer layer, hence concealing evidence of external marks. Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that the inner layers of the skin would provide evidence of what transpired.
"We shall establish if there were strangulation marks on the neck and whether there was blunt trauma as would be seen with bruises in the inner layer of the skin," he explained.
"Additionally, a DNA examination will help prove scientifically that the head belongs to the victim," he added.
Waeni's killer was suspected to have dismembered the body to conceal any evidence.
Further, last week's postmortem examination showed that the killer attempted to cut her fingernails off to prevent his DNA from being extracted from her fingertips.
On Tuesday, Waeni's family insisted that the head belonged to their kin after viewing it at the City Mortuary and also identifying some of the items recovered including a purple blouse used to it.
Two Nigerian suspects were placed under custody at Kasarani Police Station after being suspected of committing the murder.
Officers managed to retrieve several items from the suspects' house in Ndenderu, Kiambu County. Among the items collected were an axe, butcher's knife, three laptops, six mobile phones, a Kenyan national identity card and 10 sim cards.
They duo will be arraigned in court on January 31, 2024, after police conclude investigations.
