Kenyan authorities have arrested Kevin Kangethe, a man wanted in the United States for the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu, a US nurse in Boston.
The arrest took place in Nairobi’s Westlands area on Monday night following a tip-off, bringing an international murder investigation to the forefront.
Detectives have disclosed that Kangethe is sought for the murder of Margaret Mbitu, which occurred between October 30, 2023, and November 4, 2023, in Boston. The suspect had been on the run since November, fleeing to Kenya shortly after the incident.
His apprehension came after local police received information and acted swiftly on an Interpol Red Notice.
Officials at Gigiri police station have notified the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) headquarters and are now awaiting identifiers from US authorities to confirm the suspect’s identity.
The arrest follows an intense manhunt initiated by US authorities, who had issued an arrest warrant for Kangethe in November.
The victim’s mother, Rose Mbitu, revealed that her daughter had planned to break up with the suspect. The circumstances surrounding Margaret’s tragic death became even more suspicious as Kangethe purchased tickets for a flight to Nairobi shortly after the alleged murder.
Margaret Mbitu, a 31-year-old nurse and a naturalized US citizen, was reported missing by her family after failing to return home from work on October 30, 2023. Massachusetts State Police later found her lifeless body in her car at Boston’s Logan Airport Central Parking garage, prompting an investigation that pointed to Kangethe as the prime suspect.
The extradition process is now anticipated, with Massachusetts authorities looking to leverage Kenya’s extradition treaty with the US.
Surveillance footage placed Margaret’s car in various locations in Massachusetts in the days leading up to her death, providing crucial pieces of evidence for investigators.
