The body believed to be that of missing University of Nairobi (UoN) student, Jane Atela, has been discovered at the City Mortuary in Nairobi, bringing a tragic turn to the weeks-long search for the 20-year-old.
According to her family, the decomposed body was traced to the morgue and is suspected to have been brought there on October 17, 2025, shortly after her disappearance. Jane’s guardian, Patrick Mwangela, said the remains were found in poor condition, with visible signs of violence. He noted that parts of the body were badly decomposed, and the skull was detached, indicating possible foul play.
“The body must have been recovered by police on the seventeenth, and that area was close to where the crime was committed,” Mwangela said. The family is now awaiting DNA test results to confirm the identity since the physical state of the body makes visual recognition impossible.
Jane, a second-year Bachelor of Education student, disappeared on October 3, 2025, after leaving her university residence to meet her boyfriend. Her phone went off later that evening, and she never returned. Following her disappearance, the family reported the matter at Kikuyu Police Station in Kiambu County.
In the days that followed, the family received disturbing calls from unknown individuals. Some claimed Jane was alive and in Kilgoris, while others demanded money to secure her release. Acting on these leads, her relatives travelled to Kilgoris, only to find no trace of her. They returned to Nairobi still clinging to hope, unaware that tragedy had already struck.
Investigations have since intensified, with forensic analysis underway on several phone numbers connected to the extortion attempts. Police sources indicate that Jane’s boyfriend, with whom she was last seen, has been arrested and is the main person of interest in the case. Neighbours reportedly saw the two arguing on the day she vanished.
Authorities are now working to determine whether the remains are indeed Jane’s and to uncover the circumstances surrounding her death. The family continues to call for a thorough investigation and swift justice for their daughter.
If confirmed, Jane’s death would add to the growing list of unsolved murders involving young women across the country, highlighting the urgent need for stronger protection measures and faster response in missing persons cases.
