Residents of Rùrií, Kiganjo Estate in Thika West Sub-County were treated to a rare incident on Tuesday when a 40-year old man stabbed to death his estranged wife before turning the knife on himself.
George Njenga is understood to have quarreled with his estranged wife of three years immediately after lunch break, disrupting the rather peaceful afternoon.
Thika West DAPC Samuel Ombonya said that they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the death of 32-year old Joyce Wangari who is said to be an employee in the leather industry.
"It is an appalling tragedy. It appears the man picked a quarrel with wife, fought with her and eventually stabbed her several times, killing her instantly. He then turned the knife to himself," said Ombonya.
It emerged that a fight ensued between the couple which eventually turned fatal, and on realising that things were getting serious, the neighbours attempted to plead with them to open the door and talk it over.
"Someone called me to inform me that a man was about to kill his wife. On arrival, the house was locked from the inside. Wa Muthoni (George) declined to open prompting me to mobilise young men to break into the room," said Penninah Wambui, a community policing representative.
When they broke the window panes, they saw Joyce lying still on the floor, with his husband silently seated next to her while holding a kitchen knife.
"The deceased was already dead by the time we entered. When the man realised that we had gained entry into the house, he stabbed himself and attempted to pull off his intestines," said Macharia who was among the first people on the scene.
According to the neighbours who spoke on condition of anonymity, the couple, who have previously been living in Makongeni Estate, had been married for more than three years but separated about three months ago.
The wife then shifted to this ill-fated room and lived alone with their three-year old daughter.