By Currier Times Staff///

UPDATE: September 3, 2024

Kevin Kangethe pleaded not guilty and was held without bail at Suffolk Superior Court in Boston this morning. Here’s more from the Boston Herald: https://www.bostonherald.com/2024/09/03/man-accused-of-killing-massachusetts-nurse-fleeing-to-kenya-held-without-bail/

UPDATE: September 2, 2024

Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Tuesday, after being extradited from Nairobi, Kenya on Sunday, according to Kenyan authorities. The AP has more at this link: https://apnews.com/article/kenya-us-murder-suspect-massachusetts-kevin-kangethe-e05b3ae40ff3893b4773e113695e64bc

The family released this statement to The Currier Times:

Statement from the family of Maggie Mbitu

“Our family has been notified by District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office that the process for bringing justice for our beloved Maggie will continue tomorrow with the arraignment of the person charged with her murder. We are deeply grateful to the District Attorney, investigators, police and victim advocates who have supported our family and are ensuring Maggie’s killer is held responsible. We will have no further comment before tomorrow’s court hearing and request that the media respect our family’s privacy at this difficult time.”

UPDATE: February 14, 2024

Kenyan authorities said that they have recaptured the fugitive wanted in connection with the murder of a Curry College alum. Kevin (Kelvin) Kangethe was found in the outskirts of Nairobi, staying at a relative’s home, according to information provided to the BBC. A local Kenyan TV station also showed him back in court after he was brought back into custody. Now that Kangethe is back in custody, a Kenyan court will hold a hearing on extradition back to the United States.

Read earlier stories below.

UPDATE: February 8, 2024

Multiple international media outlets are reporting that the suspect in Maggie Mbitu’s murder has escaped custody in Kenya.

Kevin (Kelvin) Kangethe, 41, was arrested in Nairobi just last week and was being held at a local police station. On Wednesday, a man claiming to be his lawyer came to the station wanting to speak with Kangethe.

According to the BBC, police issued the following statement:

“According to the police statement, Mr Kangethe took off during a meeting in a private room with a man who visited the station saying he was his lawyer.

‘After a short while the prisoner escaped by running away and left the lawyer behind,’ the statement said.

At the time, all the officers were attending a separate meeting that had been called by the head of the station.”

Police officials say it is “embarrassing.” Kangethe’s extradition back to the United States was expected within thirty days.

Below is our previous story:

Suffolk County district attorney, Kevin Hayden, said in a statement that they have arrested, in Kenya, their prime suspect in the murder of Curry alum, Maggie Mbitu.

Mbitu was found dead of slash wounds in the front passenger seat of a car that was left in a Logan Airport parking garage on November 1st. Her boyfriend, Kevin Kangethe, was seen on surveillance video boarding a plane at Logan en route to Kenya.

In a prepared statement, DA Hayden said many agencies helped in the capture.

“I’m extremely grateful to the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the FBI, Kenyan law enforcement agencies, the Kenyan government and the Massachusetts State Police for bringing the person accused of Margaret Mbitu’s brutal murder into custody,” Hayden said in the statement. “Their tremendous and untiring efforts will provide Margaret’s family and friends the opportunity to see Kevin Kangethe face justice for this terrible crime.”

The U.S. Embassy in Kenya also released the following statement: “Embassy Nairobi commends the efforts of Kenyan law enforcement for apprehending Kenyan fugitive Kevin Kangethe, suspected to have murdered Margaret Mbitu in Massachusetts sometime between October 30 and November 4, 2023. United States law enforcement, the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have been working side by side to locate and capture the fugitive. The United States and Kenya are committed to strengthening law enforcement cooperation to apprehend criminal offenders, eliminate criminal activities, and advance justice.”

According to NBC10 Boston, the family was “thankful” and would be attending any upcoming court appearance.

Mbitu is a 2020 graduate of Curry’s Nursing program.

It is unclear when Kangethe will be extradited to Boston.