US man shoots Kenyan wife dead, turns gun on self
Police in Minnesota, United States, say a 39-year-old Kenyan woman was shot dead by her husband who later turned the gun to himself over a suspected domestic row.
Esther Nyambura Muchina Dobie died of a gunshot wound in Savage, Minnesota, following what authorities believe was an altercation at her home in the 9300 Block of 125th Street.
Police have identified Rodney Terrell Dobie, 41, as the man who fatally shot Ms Muchina in the head before turning the gun on himself.
“Mr Dobie used a 9mm Glock handgun to shoot Muchina once in the head, then fatally shot himself in the head,” said a police spokesman Thursday.
FAILED TO GO TO WORK
Police found their bodies just after 11:30am when responding to a welfare call from Muchina’s employer after she failed to report for work.
Ms Muchina was last seen leaving work on March 28, 2015 according to a police report.
On the day Ms Muchina died, the employer said her absence from work was “highly unusual,” according to Savage Police Sergeant Michael Schiltz.
When police arrived at the couple’s home, they found one of the garage doors open and the service door between the garage and the home unsecured.
Police entered the home and found the bodies of Dobie and Muchina in a bedroom.
Sergeant Schiltz said the two had been living at the home for about one year and three months.
RECLUSIVE
Neighbours said they did not know the couple very well and that the two mostly kept to themselves.
A neighbour, Mr Rommel Malinis, told local media that police have been frequenting the couple’s home since the night that the two died.
“It’s kind of scary to have something like that. I’ve never seen anything like this happen before,” he told CBS Minnesota TV.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner are assisting the Savage Police Department with investigations.
On Tuesday, the Hennepin County medical examiner’s office released the identities of two people.
CONTACT RELATIVES
In response to a question over why it took more than a week to release the names, Savage Police Chief Rodney Seurer said Tuesday that the authorities had to contact Ms Muchina’s relatives, who live in Kenya.
“It took some time to gather the information and to make a positive ID,” he said.
A family member who sought anonymity revealed that Kenyans and other well-wishers have been meeting Bloomington, Minnesota, for prayers.
“We intend hold a fundraiser this Saturday to assist the family transport the body to Kenya for burial,” she said.