A sombre mood has engulfed Mugari village in Embu county after the body of a woman was discovered floating in a nearby river.
Villagers are yet to come to terms with gruesome killing of 44-year-old Jane Mwende Kilonzi, mother of seven, who was last seen on Tuesday evening.
From physical observation, the deceased's eyes had been gouged out alongside other injuries on the head and limbs.
Traces of blood could be seen several metres from the scene and blood stained rods suspected to have been used to kill her.
It was suspected she could have been murdered by a farmhand who was working in the neighbourhood and who was her lover after the death of her husband last year.
According to village elder Jonathan Muswii, the suspect has since gone into hiding further arousing suspicion of his involvement.
Her niece Catherine Njoki said she spoke to Mwende at around 4pm the previous day and nothing seemed amiss.
She said according to neighbours, the suspect was at the deceased homestead up until 11pm when screams were heard coming from her home that died out minutes later.
"We don’t not know what transpired thereafter as we just woke up to the sad news of her demise today morning at around 9am," she said.
The body was taken to Embu Level Five Hospital for preservation.