Detectives have arrested a 24-year-old man suspected of murdering a 14-year-old schoolgirl whose body was discovered in a tree plantation in Masana Village, South Maragoli, Vihiga County.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) identified the suspect as Stanley Odero, a resident of Masana Village, who was arrested on Friday, November 13, 2026, following extensive forensic investigations.
The victim, identified as Draron Kanagi, was a Grade 8 pupil at Hamasana Primary School. She went missing on the evening of May 18, 2026, while returning home from school.
According to investigators, her family launched a desperate search after she failed to arrive home, raising concerns about her whereabouts.
Their worst fears were confirmed the following afternoon when two women collecting firewood stumbled upon her lifeless body in a tree plantation in Masana Village.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the teenager had allegedly been sexually assaulted before being strangled with barbed wire and tied to a tree. Her schoolbag, containing learning materials, was also recovered near the scene.
The body was subsequently moved to Vihiga County Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination as detectives launched investigations into the brutal killing.
In a statement, the DCI said extensive forensic investigations had helped detectives identify and apprehend the suspect.
“Following extensive forensic investigations that yielded a positive DNA match linking him to the crime, detectives arrested Stanley Odero, 24, a resident of Masana Village,” the DCI stated.
The agency further confirmed that the suspect remained in police custody undergoing processing ahead of his arraignment in court.
The arrest marks a significant development in the investigation, which began following the discovery of the schoolgirl’s body in May.
The DCI expressed condolences to the family, friends and relatives of the deceased, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring justice for the young girl.
The suspect is expected to be presented in court as investigations continue.
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