A cloud of grief hangs over Kayole Junction in Nairobi, following the brutal murder of Catherine Wanjiru, better known to her friends as Sharon Cate. The 40-year-old woman was discovered lifeless in her own home, having been stabbed multiple times by her boyfriend, Samuel Mathenge, who is now a fugitive.
The tragic events unfolded on the night of Friday, May 9, 2025. Cate’s body was found with more than ten stab wounds, inflicted on her head, neck, and arms, in what police have described as a gruesome and calculated killing. The prime suspect in the murder is Mathenge, her 31-year-old boyfriend, who had been in a relationship with her for the past two years.
According to investigators, the couple had spent the evening together at Cate’s residence along Kangundo Road, near Kayole Junction. Cate’s 11-year-old son was also in the house and unwittingly became a silent witness to the horrifying events that transpired.
The exact reason behind the violent confrontation remains unclear, but Cate’s sister, Anne Wambui, revealed that an argument had broken out between the two. Wambui explained that the dispute escalated to physical violence when Mathenge slapped Cate several times. In an attempt to get help, Cate sent her son downstairs to tell the building’s security guard that something was wrong.
However, fate played a cruel role. When the child reached the guard, the watchman was busy assisting a tenant with parking and was unable to respond immediately. The boy ran back upstairs, only to find the door locked from the inside with a padlock.
The boy tried once more, returning to the guard, who then called Cate’s phone. To their surprise, Mathenge answered but gave no indication that anything was wrong. Shortly afterward, neighbors reported seeing a man who resembled Mathenge leaving the building with a red Maasai shuka wrapped around his head, presumably to hide his face. When the guard attempted to stop the man, he quickly fled, vanishing into the darkness.
Inside the apartment, the scene was one of horror. Cate had been brutally stabbed multiple times, and the assailant had left behind a mobile phone and a copy of his ID, which linked Mathenge to the crime. The evidence left behind painted a clear picture of Mathenge as both a regular visitor to Cate’s home and the prime suspect.
Cate’s sister, visibly shaken, spoke to the media about the brutality of the attack. She described how her sister’s body had been “stabbed multiple times, more than ten times in the head,” and added that the most heartbreaking part was that it was Cate’s son who had confirmed her death.
Cate leaves behind two children her 11-year-old son, a Grade 7 student, and her 22-year-old daughter. The brutal nature of the crime and its impact on her family have sparked outrage in both the community and online. As the investigation continues, many are left wondering how a relationship that once seemed loving could turn so violently tragic.
Kayole Sub-County Police Commander John Awouth confirmed that a manhunt for Mathenge is underway. He stated that investigations are ongoing and assured the public that authorities are doing everything possible to arrest the fugitive. “We are still waiting for updates from the DCI of Kayole, and the suspect remains at large,” Awouth said.
Cate’s body has been transferred to the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem examination is scheduled to take place. As the investigation unfolds, the community remains in shock, grappling with the senseless violence that claimed the life of a woman and left two children to face a future without their mother.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on Mathenge’s whereabouts to come forward and report it to the nearest police station as the search for the fugitive continues.
