Meru Woman Vanishes After Leaving Home, Found Dead a Month Later

The tragic disappearance and death of Doris Kathure, a 22-year-old pregnant woman from Matiru village in Tigania West, Meru County, has left her family and community devastated and seeking justice.

Kathure left her home on September 27, 2024, after receiving a call from an acquaintance, and was never seen alive again. A month later, her family received the devastating news that her body had been discovered in a thicket at Biliqo in Burat, Isiolo County, on September 28. The postmortem examination conducted by Dr. Nkirote Rugendo at Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital reveals that Kathure had been strangled with a handkerchief and hit on the head with a blunt object. Additionally, objects had been inserted into her private parts, resulting in the loss of two lives.

Kathure's family had not reported her missing, believing she was staying with her aunt in Isiolo as she often traveled and returned after several weeks. However, they later learned that the aunt had not seen Kathure for over a year. Ruth Kabirithu, Kathure's sister, recounts the events leading up to her disappearance, stating that Kathure had received a call and left without informing her where she was going or who she had spoken to. When Kathure did not return, the family tried to reach her, but her phone was turned off.

Kathure's father Joshua M'Rengeura expresses his grief, noting that his daughter was pregnant when she left home and had a boyfriend from the neighborhood who was known to the family. However, there was no information about anyone who could have had anything against her. As the family laid Kathure and her unborn child to rest, they call on the detectives to unravel the mystery behind her death. The unknown caller who lured Kathure out of her home could hold vital clues to the case, and the family has urged the police to bring the killers to justice.

Matiru assistant chief Titus Thiaine emphasizes the importance of families keeping close tabs on their relatives, even when they are away from home, and notes that missing persons reports aid the police in quickly identifying bodies found without identification documents.