Death and attempted cover-up; fresh details emerge over Regina Re mother's murder

86-year-old Dorita Lasinder Macharia was found dead in her Loresho home after an alleged disagreement with her granddaughter. [Courtesy]

Fresh details have emerged in the chilling murder of 86-year-old Dorita Lasinder Macharia, with detectives probing an alleged attempt by her daughter, actress Regina Re, son Alton Jimmy Macharia and granddaughter to interfere with evidence at the scene of the killing.

What began as a family disagreement inside the elderly woman's Loresho Ridge home on the night of October 30, just two days after she celebrated her 86th birthday, has since escalated into a complex murder investigation, with detectives examining blood-stained clothes, suspected murder weapons and alleged attempts to clean the scene before forensic investigations could be conducted.

Actress Regina, whose real name is Regina Wambui Macharia Gitao, her brother Jimmy, daughter Thandie Malaika Wanjiku Gitao and  Immanuel Walgwe Munyeki are being held at Gigiri Police Station as investigators seek to reconstruct the elderly woman's final moments and establish the circumstances surrounding her death, including the possible roles played by those who were at the house.

Police allege that Munyeki is believed to be Thandie's boyfriend and was allegedly in her company when Dorita discovered them in a compromising situation inside her bedroom, triggering the confrontation that preceded the elderly woman's death.

According to the investigating officer, the discovery prompted Dorita to order her granddaughter to leave the house and surrender the keys to the room.

She also directed other friends who were reportedly at the premises to leave before calling her son Jimmy to help evict Thandie over what investigators described as her alleged misconduct.

According to fresh details emerging from the investigation, Thandie's mother Regina and her uncle Jimmy allegedly attempted to clean blood from the floor and their mother's body when police officers and other first responders arrived at the house on the fateful night.

The two are suspected of having attempted to interfere with the crime scene, raising questions about what they knew about the circumstances surrounding their mother's death and why the scene was allegedly being cleaned before detectives could document it.

Investigators are also said to be examining the granddaughter's conduct, including whether she changed her clothes after the incident.

 The young woman, who is said to have been wearing shorts and a T-shirt during an earlier confrontation with her grandmother, allegedly changed out of the blood-stained clothes before police arrived.

However, after interrogation, she reportedly led detectives to where she had hidden the shorts and T-shirt, which are now among the items investigators are interested in examining for forensic evidence.

The discovery is expected to help detectives establish what happened inside the house and whether the clothing could provide crucial evidence linking anyone to the fatal attack.

Neighbours have also recounted the disturbing moments preceding the discovery of Dorita's body.

According to accounts from people in the neighbourhood and her friends, the granddaughter emerged from the house shouting: "Cucu is bleeding! Cucu is bleeding!"

The cries reportedly attracted attention, with neighbours rushing to establish what had happened inside the house.

Those who entered the premises are said to have encountered the elderly woman lying in a pool of blood, with severe injuries.

However, some accounts of the scene raised further questions, with the body reportedly appearing as though it had been washed, despite the extensive injuries later established during the postmortem examination.

Detectives are also said to have recovered three knives from the kitchen, which appeared to have been washed.

The knives are suspected to be possible murder weapons, although forensic examination is expected to establish whether any of them was used in the attack.

A blood-stained towel was also reportedly recovered near the dobie sink outside the kitchen, adding to the evidence detectives are expected to subject to forensic examination.

The discoveries come against the backdrop of a postmortem examination that revealed the extent of the violence inflicted on the elderly woman.

Government pathologist Dr Bernard Midia, who conducted the examination at Lee Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 3, established that Dorita died from excessive bleeding following multiple stab wounds to the neck.

"The injuries consisted of multiple stab wounds to the neck with injury to the blood vessels which led to severe external bleeding, and two stab wounds in the neck,” Dr Midia said.

The examination further revealed more than 20 sharp-force injuries, mainly concentrated around the face and neck, as well as injuries to other parts of her body.

"There were also other sharp force injuries, cut wounds to various parts of the body but mainly around the face and neck, there were more than 20 ... there were also other injuries including the left upper arm, there was a fracture on that arm,” Dr Midia noted.

The pathologist said some of the injuries were consistent with an attack involving a particularly sharp object.

"I have seen a sharp force so it was most likely blade, it could have been a knife but it was a sharp, sharp, sharp object,” he said.

The murder investigation had on Monday this week taken a dramatic turn when the Directorate of Criminal Investigations moved to court seeking permission to detain four suspects for 15 days to complete investigations.

In an affidavit filed before Kibera Law Courts, investigating officer Police Constable David Njoroge said preliminary investigations had established that Dorita had disagreed with her granddaughter after allegedly finding her in a compromising situation with her boyfriend inside her bedroom.

The elderly woman reportedly ordered Thandie to leave her residence and surrender the keys to the room.

She also directed her friends, who were allegedly present at the house, to leave.

Following the commotion, Dorita reportedly called her son Jimmy to help remove the granddaughter from the premises.

The granddaughter allegedly left but later returned, after which she remained inside the house with her grandmother for approximately one hour.

It was during this period that the fatal incident is believed to have occurred.

The investigating officer told the court that the deceased was subsequently found lying in a pool of blood with deep cuts on the body including a wound on the left side of her neck.

“The deceased was found lying in a pool of blood, having sustained a deep cut wound to the left side of her neck. Upon making the discovery, the 1st Respondent(Granddaughter Thandie) allegedly ran out of the house screaming, ‘She is bleeding!’ to her friends who were reportedly outside the premises at the time,” PC David Njoroge stated.

Police arrested the four suspects on October 31 at about 2am and booked them at Gigiri Police Station under OB Number 02/31/10/2026.

The prosecution, through state counsel Faith Musoma, sought 15 days to allow detectives to analyse CCTV footage retrieved from the estate, obtain mobile phone call data records, conduct fingerprint examinations, record statements from key witnesses and forward the investigation file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions

However, on Monday, November 2, Magistrate Barbara Akinyi granted detectives 10 days to hold the four suspects at Gigiri Police Station, directing that the matter be mentioned on November 12.

The defence counsel David Oyata had opposed prolonged detention, arguing that some of the suspects had cooperated with investigators, recorded statements and surrendered their mobile phones.

The court allowed the detention as investigations continued.

The postmortem findings have now established the cause of death, but the central questions remain: Who inflicted the fatal injuries? Why were the knives allegedly washed?And what happened during the one hour Dorita was reportedly alone with her granddaughter?

As detectives piece together the evidence, the investigation is expected to establish whether the alleged cleaning of the scene and concealment of clothing were attempts to interfere with evidence or whether there is another explanation.

For now, the DCI is expected to complete its investigations before submitting the file to the DPP for further directions before November 12,2026 when the case is expected for mention.

The tragedy has also cast a shadow over what should have been a special family milestone.

Dorita had celebrated her 86th birthday shortly before her death, making the circumstances surrounding her final days even more painful for relatives and friends.

Her daughter, actress Regina Re, paid an emotional tribute to her mother on social media, recalling the birthday celebrations they had shared just days before the elderly woman's death.

“My dearest Mommy... We just celebrated your 86th birthday... Two days later God chose you to celebrate with Him... eternally in heaven,” she wrote.

“For all the care, support & love you poured into your family, in your own unique way... And for all the many years God gave you to us... I am deeply grateful & forever will sing. May God grant us, who are still down here peace and understanding. And may perpetual light shine eternally on your soul...”

The tribute, posted as detectives pursued investigations into her mother's killing, has since taken on a different significance as police seek to reconstruct the final hours of the 86-year-old and establish what happened inside her home.