Kenyan authorities have apprehended a 33-year-old man suspected of being a serial killer responsible for the deaths of at least 42 women, including his wife. The grisly discovery of multiple dismembered bodies at a quarry in Nairobi has sent shockwaves across the country.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Jomaisi Khalisia, confessed to luring, killing, and disposing of the bodies of 42 women at the Mukuru quarry dump site. The victims were reportedly between the ages of 18 and 30.

Mohamed Amin, the head of Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), described the suspect as a “psychopathic serial killer who has no respect for human life.” Amin stated that Khalisia’s arrest followed a “forensic analysis” of a mobile phone belonging to one of the victims, Josephine Mulongo Owino.During the investigation, police searched Khalisia’s residence, located just 100 meters from the crime scene, and recovered crucial evidence, including a machete believed to have been used to dismember the victims, 10 mobile phones, a laptop, identity documents, and women’s clothing.

Authorities have cordoned off the quarry dump site, where nine decomposed bodies have been recovered so far. Amin said the police are still interrogating the suspect to determine the motive behind the killings and that he will be arraigned in court on Tuesday.

The police have also arrested a second suspect found in possession of a phone belonging to one of the victims, and are treating this individual as an accomplice or potential suspect.

The grisly discoveries have sparked outrage and concern within the Kenyan community, with some residents speculating a possible connection between the bodies and the recent disappearances of young protesters during anti-government demonstrations. However, the police have not confirmed any such link.

President William Ruto has expressed dismay over the reports of abductions involving state personnel and has pledged accountability for any implicated officers. The unsettling events have also added to the ongoing crisis faced by the Kenyan government, as it struggles to contain widespread protests over the cost-of-living crisis.

The police have urged families who believe their loved ones may have fallen victim to these “macabre murders” to come forward and report to the authorities as the investigation continues.