The brutal killing of Nakuru businessman Peter Mwangi has sent shockwaves through Bahati sub-county, with his own wife and children emerging as the prime suspects in a devastating family tragedy.

A horrific domestic dispute has culminated in murder, tearing a prominent Nakuru family apart. Authorities have detained the victim's closest relatives, painting a grim picture of betrayal and premeditated violence.

This gruesome incident shines a glaring spotlight on the rising tide of domestic homicides across Kenyan counties. The erosion of familial conflict resolution mechanisms and the violent pursuit of property and wealth are creating a silent epidemic that demands urgent societal intervention.

The Discovery in Karunga

The tragedy unfolded on the quiet morning of February 16, 2026, in the Karunga area of Bahati sub-county. Joyce Wanjiru, Peter Mwangi's daughter-in-law, made a harrowing discovery inside the family home. She found the patriarch lying unresponsive on his bedroom floor, bleeding profusely from severe injuries. Despite frantic efforts to save his life, the businessman later succumbed to his wounds, immediately escalating an assault case into a full-scale homicide investigation.

The brutality of the attack suggested deep-seated malice. Law enforcement officers, arriving at the scene, quickly determined that the incident was not a random burglary gone wrong, but an inside job. Within hours of Mwangi's death, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) moved swiftly, placing four immediate family members in custody: his wife Tabitha Mwangi, his daughter Rahab Muthoni, and his two sons, Samwel Mwangi and Joseph Michiri.

• Peter Mwangi was discovered unresponsive in a pool of blood on February 16.
• His wife, daughter, and two sons were arrested within hours of the incident.
• Police suspect the family may have hired external assailants to execute the attack.

A Motive Shrouded in Wealth

As investigators piece together the events leading to the murder, the primary focus has shifted to establishing a concrete motive. Preliminary intelligence suggests that long-standing disputes over family property and financial control may have driven the suspects to eliminate the patriarch. Detectives are exploring the theory that the wife and daughter, acting as prime conspirators, potentially hired third-party assailants to carry out the brutal beating while they orchestrated the cover-up.

The community of Karunga is reeling from the arrests. Peter Mwangi was a known figure, and the implication that his own blood conspired against him has shattered the local perception of familial sanctity. Granddaughter Tabitha Wanjiku has publicly demanded justice, indicating a profound fracture within the extended family structure. The DCI is currently conducting forensic audits of mobile communications and financial records to establish the chain of command in the assassination plot.

The Surge in Silent Killings

The Mwangi case is not an isolated anomaly but a symptom of a disturbing trend gripping Nakuru County and the broader Rift Valley region. So-called "silent killings," where victims are dispatched by spouses or relatives over inheritance, insurance payouts, or infidelity, are sharply on the rise. These crimes are particularly insidious because they occur behind closed doors, often masked as accidents or sudden illnesses until forensic pathology proves otherwise.

Sociologists argue that economic pressures, coupled with a breakdown in traditional mediation structures, are pushing desperate individuals toward lethal solutions. For the justice system, prosecuting these cases is notoriously complex, relying heavily on breaking the silence of complicit family members. As the four suspects await arraignment, the prosecution must build an ironclad case to ensure that the sanctity of human life is upheld over greed.

"I knew immediately that he had been attacked. The brutality was a clear message," his grieving daughter-in-law recalled.