Headless body of 74-oear-old man found in Kilifi thicket

In Kilifi, authorities are probing the homicide of a 74-year-old man whose remains were discovered in a thicket adjacent to Boatyard Road. Charo Kikotero, the deceased, had reportedly departed his residence on September 18, 2026, around 8 a.m., but failed to return, leading his relatives to file a missing persons report on September 20.

Subsequently, a message was sent from Kikotero's phone indicating that his body had been disposed of along Boatyard Road. The body was eventually located deep within a thicket in the Boatyard region. Police revealed that the victim's head had been severed; a search for the head continues. The Crime Scene Investigation team has documented the scene prior to the body's removal and transport to Kilifi County Hospital Mortuary for preservation pending a postmortem examination.

Detectives have initiated investigations into the circumstances of Kikotero's murder and the identification of the perpetrator. The criminal intent behind the killing remains undetermined, as indicated by police on Monday, pending further investigations.