On Tuesday, the Suffolk Superior Court in Boston, USA, heard the chilling details of the brutal murder of Margaret Mbitu, allegedly at the hands of her lover, Kevin Kinyanjui Kang’ethe. Kang’ethe, the primary suspect, had been extradited from Kenya, where he had fled, to face trial in the US.
Prosecutors detailed that Mbitu’s body was discovered on October 31, 2023, in an SUV parked at Boston Logan International Airport during a search for the missing woman. They explained that Kang’ethe had taken a cab from his home in Lowell to Mbitu’s workplace, meeting her as she left the office. He then drove her to her home in her vehicle, which was registered in his name.
During the drive, Kang’ethe allegedly attacked Mbitu, stabbing her 10 times in the face and neck. Prosecutors further revealed that Kang’ethe answered two calls from Mbitu’s family and coworkers during the attack, informing them she was injured and unable to speak. He later disposed of her phone in a dumpster in Chelsea, which detectives used to track him down through surveillance footage.
Mbitu’s body was found 30 hours later, lying face down in the reclined front seat of her car, covered with items to avoid detection.
In court, Mbitu’s family expressed their hope for justice, with her cousin, Mary Kinyariro, speaking on behalf of the victim’s sister. She vowed that they would not rest until the suspect is held accountable for his actions.
“It has been a long journey coming. Today gives us hope and represents a step forward toward justice,” she said as quoted by NBC Boston.
“We will continue to fight until this coward is locked up and never sees light again or gets to harm any other family and take their loved one away from them.”
The family also recalled not just their loss, but who Mbitu was in life.
Another cousin Joel Muhoro remembered Mbitu as a kind and generous woman who always shared her joy everywhere she went.
“We think about her dreams of being a business owner, of becoming a nurse practitioner to help care for others and we remember the hole left in our lives,” he said.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said that the genesis of the court proceedings acted as a beacon of hope toward getting justice.
“She was deeply loved, she was a caregiver, a nurse beloved by every patient that she served, a beautiful soul and a wonderful daughter and a loving sister,” said Hayden.
The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) has stated that Kang’ethe pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and was further denied bail
The case is set to be mentioned on November 5.
