- Murder suspect accused of killing Massachusetts woman escapes from prison in Kenya
- Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe was awaiting extradition to the U.S. for first-degree murder charges
- Authorities in Nairobi are searching for Kangethe, while Suffolk County District Attorney expresses hope for justice
Additional Coverage:
A murder suspect accused of killing a woman from Massachusetts and leaving her body at a Boston airport in October 2023 has escaped from prison in Kenya, according to authorities in Nairobi.
The suspect, 40-year-old Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, was in custody in Kenya waiting for an extradition ruling to the U.S. on first-degree murder charges in the death of 31-year-old Margaret Mbitu. Mbitu’s body was found in the parking garage of Boston Logan International Airport.
Suffolk County, Massachusetts, District Attorney Kevin Hayden expressed his hope for justice for Mbitu and her family in a statement to ABC News. He stated that federal officials had informed them of Kangethe’s escape and urged Kenyan law enforcement to do their best in recapturing him.
According to the police chief in Nairobi, Adamson Bungei, Kangethe escaped prison around 4:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday. This occurred when a person claiming to be Kangethe’s attorney requested to speak with him. The officers agreed and took Kangethe to an office, but he managed to escape while leaving the attorney behind.
The police report reveals that the four officers on duty during the escape are now in custody and have given statements. The search for Kangethe is ongoing.
Chief Bungei referred to the incident as “embarrassing” and mentioned that the arrested officers would explain how it happened.
Mbitu was found dead in a vehicle at the parking garage of Boston Logan International Airport on November 1, 2023. Her family had reported her missing two days prior. Massachusetts authorities issued an arrest warrant for Kangethe, who had fled to Kenya after the alleged murder. The police believe that Kangethe and Mbitu knew each other and that the homicide was not a random act.
After an international manhunt lasting three months, Kangethe was arrested at a nightclub by Kenyan authorities on January 30. Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended the efforts of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the FBI, Kenyan law enforcement agencies, the Kenyan government, and the Massachusetts State Police for apprehending Kangethe.
Kangethe had renounced his U.S. citizenship and was detained in Kenya for 30 days while awaiting the outcome of his extradition proceedings. On February 2, a senior assistant director of public prosecutions requested the court’s endorsement of the extradition proceedings. Further rulings on the matter were scheduled for February 9 by Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyina.