Kenyan Man in US Admits to Brutal Killing of Ex-Girlfriend, Faces Life in Prison

A Kenyan man living in Delaware has pleaded guilty to the murder of his former girlfriend and now faces a mandatory life sentence.

Norbert Matara, 33, admitted to killing 31-year-old Tracy Nyariki at her Newark apartment on 17 December 2024. Investigators said he stabbed her multiple times before dismembering her body and placing the remains in a suitcase. 

He then drove across state lines to Aberdeen, Maryland, where police later discovered the suitcase in the boot of his car outside a motel. Authorities were alerted after Nyariki failed to appear at work, prompting her supervisor to contact police. Detectives quickly identified Matara as a suspect, and his arrest led to a confession.

Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings described the case as “beyond disturbing,” praising prosecutors and detectives for securing justice for Nyariki’s family. New Castle County Police Chief Col. James J. Leonard III also commended the investigative team for their persistence in piecing together the events.

Members of the Kenyan community in the United States expressed grief over the killing. Duncan Wakhu, a Delaware resident, highlighted Nyariki’s close ties within the diaspora, while attorney Henry Ongeri called the crime “absolutely horrifying.”