Four people, including veteran media personality Regina Rey and her 18-year-old daughter, Thandier Malika, remained in police custody after a Nairobi magistrate ruled on October 30, 2026, that releasing them would compromise ongoing murder investigations into the death of 86-year-old Dorita Macharia.
Dorita was found inside her home at Lores Ridge Estate with a deep cut wound to the left side of her neck, lying in a pool of blood.
The deceased’s son, Alton Jimmy Macharia, is listed as the third accused, while Emmanuel Muni, the boyfriend of Thandier, is the second suspect named in the case.
What Happened the Night Dorita Macharia Died
The court heard from the investigating officer that, on the night in question, Dorita discovered her granddaughter and the young man inside her bedroom together in a compromising situation.
She was deeply upset and ordered Thandier to leave the premises immediately. Thandier did leave, but returned later, and the two remained alone in the house for approximately one hour before the alarm was raised.
It was Thandier herself who reportedly ran outside screaming, “She is bleeding!” to friends who had gathered outside the home, after the body was discovered.
The court noted that neither side disputed that the first and third respondents were at or near the house at the time the events unfolded.
Dorita’s eldest son, Ian Macharia, who resides in the United States, is represented by senior counsel Philip Murgor. Murgor told the court he received a call at midnight and rushed to the scene.
“What I saw was not pleasant. And all I can say, subject to investigations, is that the deceased met a brutal and painful death,” Murgor said.
The prosecution intends to rely on CCTV footage, postmortem findings and testimony from household employees to build its case.
Of the seven people initially detained, only four remain in custody. Defence counsel argued that investigations could proceed while the suspects were free, describing the prosecution’s request for a 15-day detention period as an administrative matter rather than a genuine investigative necessity.
The magistrate, identified as Amino, disagreed and found that releasing the four would interfere with the integrity of the inquiry.While the state had sought a 15-day remand period, the magistrate settled on a shorter term.
“Although the state seeks 15 days, I’m satisfied that a shorter period of 10 days is appropriate,” said the magistrate.
All four suspects will be held at Gigiri Police Station as investigations continue.
