Police in Thika, Kiambu County are probing a murder incident after mutilated bodies of three family members were found dumped near their home village of Maguguni in Ngoliba Ward, Thika East Constituency.

The three bodies were identified as Peninah Wairimu Ngugi, 87, her 50-year-old daughter Pauline Njeri and their house help.

According to witnesses, two of the bodies were discovered inside their newly built house while the third one which had been beheaded was found buried in a shallow grave a few meters from the house.

It is suspected that the three might have been murdered on Friday night by unknown assailants since they had already been decomposing.

Right outside the house, two bloody knives suspected to have been used to stab the three were found by police officers.

Kahoro Mbogo, a neighbour, told Citizen Digital that the three have been missing since Saturday last week.

He said the family members had been collecting milk from his farm but had not picked the milk since Saturday thus a possibility of them having been murdered then.

“They have been picking milk from my home but have not collected it since Saturday. We suspect the murder may have happened before Saturday,” said Mbogo.

Thika East police boss Andrew Sora confirmed the incident saying police are pursuing crucial leads to arrest one of the suspects believed to have been behind the brutal murder.

“This may have happened about two to three days before as the bodies are already decomposing. We have begun our investigations and are optimistic that we will have the suspects arrested for prosecution. It’s very unfortunate,” said Sora.

Villagers said that the family was a peaceful one and they only settled in the village about three years ago.

The three bodies have since been transferred to Thika’s General Kago mortuary.