A Nakuru family is struggling to come to terms with the mysterious death of their 24-year-old kin, Joseph Owino Jonny, a freelance photographer popularly known as Myles. His body was discovered on Tuesday March 3, in the Lakeview area along the Naivasha–Mai Mahiu Road, leaving relatives and friends shocked and searching for answers.

Owino had travelled to Naivasha for what is believed to have been a work assignment when tragedy struck. His elder brother, Robert Joni, recalls learning about the incident through a phone call from a man claiming to be an investigative officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Naivasha.

The caller asked whether Robert was related to Owino and requested that he reports to the DCI offices in Naivasha or inform their parents.

Robert, a resident of Kivumbini, travelled to Naivasha the following morning, unsure of the circumstances.

“When I arrived on Wednesday morning, the officer was not available. Upon arrival the officer asked if I was Myles’ brother. After confirming my details, he told me that unfortunately my brother had been murdered and his body dumped in Naivasha,"he recounts.

According to Robert, the officer asked several questions about Owino, including when they had last communicated. Noting they had been in contact about two weeks earlier before his death, discussing family matters.

" I was informed my brother was in the company of a lady. The two allegedly stopped at a restaurant in search of food but left after learning no food was available. I was told their vehicle was later blocked by another car that had been trailing them and two masked men emerged from the vehicle and confronted my brother before assaulting him," Robert explains.

Expressing his loss, Robert says Owino had been working independently as a photographer and videographer in Nairobi for more than four years and had not heard any complaints from his brother that his life was under threat.

“He was a hardworking young man trying to build a career for himself. I do not know why someone would end his life in such a gruesome way,” Robert says, adding that of eight siblings his brother was the sixth born.

Robert notes that the family now want answers from the police on what the lady believed to be in the company of Owino had said in her statement, to help them understand what transpired before his murder.

According to the Naivasha Sub County Police Commander Wilson Sigei, preliminary investigations indicate that Owino died from severe injuries inflicted during a violent attack.

"The deceased had deep cut wounds on the neck and thighs, suggesting he was assaulted elsewhere before being transported to the roadside. Sigei adds that detectives believe the murder occurred at night and that the perpetrators abandoned a vehicle nearby, possibly to mislead investigators," Sigei notes.

Roberts says the body is currently at the Naivasha Sub-County Hospital mortuary. Adding that they have not conducted any post-mortem yet.
"Our family lawyer advised us to hold on conducting postmortem,” Robert says

However, according to the Nakuru County Police Commander Emmanuel Epuru investigations are ongoing and no statements have been recorded yet.

“We have not made any arrests yet nor has any person come forward to record a statement, but our officers are pursuing some leads,” he says.

For Owino’s family, the uncertainty surrounding his death has been particularly painful.

“We have been hearing different accounts concerning his death. As authorities continue their inquiries, our family remains in mourning, desperately seeking answers about the circumstances that led to my brother's death," Robert says.

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