Homicide detectives have excavated a pit latrine in Kandara, Nyeri County, in search of the head of murdered Nyeri shoe seller Joy Kanini Gathu after prime suspect John Nderitu Mureithi led police to the site.
The grim search is part of ongoing efforts to recover missing body parts from the brutal killing that shocked the community.Joy Kanini Gathu, a 25-year-old alumna of Nyeri National Polytechnic, was a hardworking shoe seller who lived in the Classic Estate area of Nyeri.
She often spent time at her boyfriend’s house in Ngangarithi Estate. Her dismembered remains were discovered stuffed in a sack on June 11, 2026, in Ngangarithi Estate.
The body was missing the head, hands, and other parts, which made identification difficult at first.
Postmortem examinations later confirmed she died from excessive bleeding due to the injuries she suffered.
Detectives linked John Nderitu Mureithi, also known as Tizzo or Tizo, to the crime after his arrest. He was caught on July 10, 2026, along the Nanyuki-Isiolo Road in Timau, Meru County, while allegedly trying to flee to Uganda.
Police recovered four mobile phones from him, including one belonging to Joy. During interrogations, Mureithi reportedly admitted to a fatal confrontation with Joy inside his one-bedroom house in Ngangarithi Estate on June 9, 2026.
He allegedly dismembered her body and dumped the parts in different locations to hide the crime. He had even called her family on the day the body was found, claiming she was missing.
The 25-year-old suspect was arraigned in a Nyeri court, where he was granted 21 days in police custody to allow detectives time for further investigations, forensic work, and assessments.
Joy came from a religious family; she was the daughter of Reverend Peter Gathu and Pastor Faith. Her death has left her loved ones devastated and raised concerns about safety in the area.
Neighbors described her as a vibrant young woman trying to make a living through her shoe business, while Mureithi was said to be unemployed.
As the excavation in the pit latrine continues under the guidance of the suspect, police hope to find the remaining parts soon for a proper burial.
This case has drawn widespread attention across Kenya, highlighting the need for swift justice in violent crimes.
The community in Nyeri continues to mourn Joy while calling for stronger measures to protect women from such tragedies. Investigations are still ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with more information to come forward.
