Police shoot and kill second suspect in Wells Fargo manager's murder

The second suspect linked to the murder of Wells Fargo HR manager Willis Ayieko was on Thursday shot dead by police in Kisumu after a heated shootout.

The suspect had escaped a police confrontation on Wednesday night and was being tracked by law enforcers.

According to Nyanza Regional Police Boss Patrick Tito, the suspect, who had fled from Gem in Siaya County, checked into a hotel near Kisumu Polytechnic.

“The team was tracking him down and managed to get him in a guest house he had checked in. He resisted to open and opened fire, prompting the team to respond,” Tito said.

The incident, which occurred around midday, resulted in the recovery of a pistol from the dead suspect.

With this latest development, the number of suspects killed in connection with Ayieko’s murder now stands at two.

Police are still searching for at least two other suspects.

Another individual, a female suspect who had been injured in a shootout in Gem, died in hospital on Wednesday morning.

She had been taken to a hospital in Yala after the police shooting in Wangai, Gem.

On Wednesday morning, police in Siaya apprehended two female suspects following a dramatic chase. During the operation, officers recovered a pistol belonging to Ayieko which had been stolen from him on the night of his murder.

The recovery followed a tip-off from the public about two individuals — a man and a woman — who were seen with a firearm in a Toyota Axio at Wagai trading centre.

When officers attempted to stop the suspect’s vehicle, the male driver opened fire and fled towards Luanda, leading to a high-speed chase that ended at Adder Farm in the Kagilo area, where the vehicle rolled over.

The driver managed to escape, leaving behind the female passenger, who was found injured and unconscious. The driver was later identified as the suspect killed in Kisumu.

Upon searching the abandoned vehicle, police found a pistol loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition, confirmed to be the firearm taken from Ayieko. The injured woman was taken to a hospital in Yala, but unfortunately, she died hours later from her injuries.

Following the shootout, detectives intensified their search for the fleeing suspect, leading them to his rented house at Sagam trading centre in Kanyibwop village. There, they recovered a jungle green sweater, military-style shorts, two pairs of desert storm jungle boots, two TV sets, a laptop, and a watch, among other items.

Detectives are pursuing at least six suspects in connection with Ayieko’s murder. Three individuals have already been arrested, with one confirmed to have been present at the scene of the crime.

Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin stated that they are targeting a gang of six to seven individuals, though the motive for Ayieko's murder has yet to be established.

“We have not been able to conclude that this was the motive of the killing, but we are progressing well. We are targeting a gang of six to seven people, and we are zeroing in on them,” Mohamed said, adding that those arrested so far have had indirect links to the murder and are being interrogated for further information.

In the meantime, detectives continue their search for additional suspects involved in the abduction, robbery, and murder of Ayieko.