An American fugitive wanted for third-degree murder and a litany of drug charges in the United States has surrendered to the inevitable, telling a Nairobi court he is ready to be flown home to face justice.

The suspect, whose two-year run from the law ended with his detention at Gigiri Police Station, appeared before a magistrate at the Milimani Law Courts on Tuesday. In a moment of rare courtroom candor, he waived his right to a drawn-out legal battle.

“Yes, your honour, and I would like to go back as soon as possible,” he told the court, signaling an end to the extradition proceedings initiated by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) on November 19.

The Minnesota Connection

Court documents filed by the ODPP reveal a grim dossier from the US District Court for the District of Minnesota. The man faces serious charges including third-degree murder, manslaughter, and multiple counts of distributing controlled substances. US authorities allege he fled the country to evade prosecution, slipping into Kenya in 2022.

When pressed by the magistrate on how he entered the country, the suspect offered a sparse explanation: “I took a flight and came here.”

State prosecutors confirmed that the extradition request met all legal thresholds under Kenya’s 1931 extradition treaty with the US and the Commonwealth. “The last time we were before the court, he had indicated that he would not be opposing his extradition... the judge gave him a chance to confirm whether that is still the position,” the prosecution noted.

A Safe Haven No More?

This case underscores a troubling but shifting trend: Kenya’s reputation as a hideout for international fugitives is crumbling. The suspect’s arrest follows a string of high-profile captures, including:

• Kevin Kang’ethe: The Massachusetts murder suspect arrested in early 2024 after a dramatic manhunt and subsequent escape from Muthaiga Police Station.
• Nicolas Soares: A fugitive wanted for a 2010 Miami murder, arrested in Nairobi in October 2025 after 15 years on the run.
• Salman Subeyr Haji: Linked to a Seattle murder, arrested in Komarock in mid-2025.

Security analysts suggest that deepened intelligence sharing between the DCI and the FBI is closing the net. For the ordinary Kenyan, this cooperation signals a tightening of border security, crucial for a nation battling its own transnational crime challenges.

What Happens Next

With the suspect’s consent secured, the legal gears will turn quickly. The magistrate has scheduled a mention for Wednesday, December 17, to formalize the final orders. Once signed, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior will authorize the surrender, and US Marshals will likely escort the man back to Minnesota within days.

For now, he remains remanded at Gigiri, a man who traded a Minnesota winter for a Nairobi hideout, only to find the law has a very long memory.