An autopsy carried out on the body of Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Legal Services Manager Esther Wairimu Keige failed to determine the cause of her death, with Government Pathologist Johansen Oduor citing advanced decomposition.
Speaking after the postmortem at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), Dr Oduor said examiners found no visible injuries. He added that the team collected samples for toxicological analysis to establish what led to the death of the 54-year-old.
“We didn’t find any injuries on the body, but we took samples for further analysis at the government chemist. So, the cause of death was not conclusive,” Dr Oduor said.
The findings follow the search for Keige, which ended in tragedy the previous day after her body was discovered in an isolated coffee plantation at Area 4 near Karimenu in Juja, Kiambu County.
Keige had been missing since June 10, 2026, after leaving her office along Kiambu Road. Juja Sub-County Police Commander Isaac Kombo said investigators found Keige’s body intact, though it was in an advanced state of decomposition. Two family members later identified the remains at the scene.
As detectives work to establish Keige’s final movements, they are pursuing new leads. Police said students from a nearby primary school reported that they had recently seen her looking for help to get food before her body was discovered.
The new information comes after earlier reports from relatives that Keige had been dealing with a serious medical condition and major depression in the period leading up to her disappearance.
Police have since started recording statements from family members to understand her state of mind and to piece together the events before her death.
Investigators said they are still considering all possibilities while they await toxicology and other laboratory findings from the Government Chemist, which are expected to shed more light on what happened.
