- Matara had only one seat, a table, and a computer in the sitting room.
- The other items were empty alcohol bottles, books, and a carpet, with the wall having notes on different subjects.
Detectives on Wednesday searched the house where a prime suspect, John Matara in the murder of socialite Starlet Wahu lived in Nairobi’s Kahawa West area.
The team said they wanted to find more evidence in the ongoing probe into the murder.
At the one-bedroom house where he had stayed for five months between July 2023 and last December, the team recovered HIV testing kits, condoms and other items that he is suspected to have used to assault and torture his victims.
Matara had only one seat, a table, and a computer in the sitting room.
The other items were empty alcohol bottles, books, and a carpet, with the wall having notes on different subjects.
Police said they had established the suspect lived alone at the house.
He had moved from another house behind Kenyatta University, police said. He claims to be a graphic designer.
Neighbours told police the suspect used to spend the day in the house, leave in the evening and return dead in the night.
The caretaker at the house claimed Matara was struggling financially, and sometimes unable to pay his rent on time.
This came as more women claimed they met him on dating apps, lured them, tortured and obtained money from them.
Some of the incidents had been reported in Nakuru, Kasarani police station, Kiwanja police post, and Ruiru, police said.
But none of the incidents had been acted upon and now police say they are consolidating them for action.
Matara came to the limelight after Wahu's body was found in an apartment they had both booked on January 3.
Police investigating the matter were on January 5, 2024, granted 21 days to hold the suspect as they probe the matter.
So far, three more victims have come out to accuse the suspect of sexually assaulting them before stealing cash and other valuables from them.
Detectives want women who may have been victims of assault and extortion by the suspect to provide information for further probe.
A team has been set up at the Regional Criminal Investigations Office in Nairobi to receive the complaints linked to the suspect.
Wahu's body was discovered on January 4 morning at the fourth floor of an Airbnb in Nairobi's South B, after the watchman reported seeing the male suspect flee with bloodstained clothes.
The owner of the premises who had let it out to Wahu and Matara for a night used a spare key to unlock the house, which had been locked from the outside, only to stumble on the horrifying scene of the deceased's body sprawled on the floor.
Matara also sent a message to the room owner saying there was something bad there.
Makadara detectives who were alerted rushed to the scene to find the young woman's body soaked in a pool of flood, lying midway from the bed towards the main door an indication of an attempt and struggle to call for help.
Examination of the body revealed a stab wound on the head near the left ear, a deep cut on the right thigh and a human bite on the left arm.