Key Evidence Uncovered in Kikuyu

NAIROBI, KENYA – Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have recovered personal items belonging to murdered University of Nairobi student Jane Atila Quedeya from the home of the primary suspect, Nicholas Mutua Mutia, in Kikuyu, Kiambu County. The 20-year-old student’s belongings were discovered during a raid on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, providing a significant breakthrough in the ongoing homicide investigation.

According to a statement released by Kiambu County detectives, the recovered items include a pair of rubber shoes, a black and grey backpack, a white handkerchief, undergarments, a pink bedsheet, and a yellow manila rope. These findings are now being treated as key evidence in the case against Mutia, 34, who is believed to be the victim’s estranged boyfriend.

A Timeline of Tragedy and Investigation

Jane Atila Quedeya, a second-year student at the University of Nairobi's Kikuyu Campus, was last seen alive on the evening of Friday, October 3, 2025. Reports indicate she left her campus residence to meet with Mutua, after which her phone was switched off and she could not be reached. Her family officially filed a missing person's report at the Kikuyu Police Station on Monday, October 13, 2025, after days of desperate searching.

The search came to a tragic conclusion on Friday, October 17, 2025, when her decomposing body was discovered by members of the public in a thicket within the KEFRI Muguga Forest. The DCI later confirmed her identity through a forensic fingerprint analysis conducted in collaboration with the National Registration Bureau.

Following an intensive manhunt, detectives arrested Nicholas Mutua Mutia. He was arraigned at the Kikuyu Law Courts on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The court granted investigators a 21-day custodial order to detain the suspect as they finalize their inquiries. The case is scheduled for mention on Thursday, November 13, 2025.

Ransom Demands and Broader Concerns

Emerging details suggest the abduction may have been motivated by a ransom demand. According to family members, they received a call on the night of her disappearance demanding KSh 2,500 for her release. Her brother reportedly sent KSh 1,000 before communication was tragically cut short. This element of the crime has added another layer of cruelty to the student’s death.

The murder of Jane Atila has sent shockwaves through the University of Nairobi community and the nation at large, reigniting urgent conversations about the safety of students, particularly young women. Student organizations and civil society groups have called for enhanced security measures around university campuses and more robust mechanisms to combat gender-based violence. This case follows a disturbing pattern of violent crimes against female students, prompting public outcry for justice and systemic change to protect vulnerable young Kenyans.

Investigators have also revealed that two other women have come forward, alleging they were previously abducted, robbed, and assaulted by the suspect in the same forest where Atila's body was found. These testimonies are being incorporated into the broader investigation, suggesting a potential pattern of predatory behavior. As the investigation continues, the focus remains on securing a conviction and delivering justice for Jane Atila and her grieving family.