Joseph Kori, widower of slain Kiambu woman Mary Wambui, on Thursday walked out of a police cell after three weeks in detention.
Officers from the DCI Homicide Unit released Kori after they failed to link him to the murder.
Kori was among three suspects linked to Wambui’s murder. The others are Judy Wangui, a former employee of Wambui, and taxi driver Michael Mathenge.
Wambui was reported missing on January 26. Her body was found the following day at a restaurant in Juja.
She had allegedly left her Safari Park Gardens house for Kahawa Sukari, where she owned a hardware store.
Initial police reports indicated she had suffered a deep wound in the head inflicted with a blunt object. Her hands had bruises.
The police recovered a Mercedes Benz believed to have been used to dispose of Wambui’s body. The mother of two lived with her husband in their Garden Estate home in Nairobi.
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After conducting oral and forensic investigations, they were convinced that Kori, 41, was not involved in either the planning or execution of Wambu’i murder. His phone communication was analysed.
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Wangui, whom the investigators have sought more time to interrogate, remained in custody at a Muthaiga police cell.
The police now believe Wambui died following a fistfight with Wangui, whom she accused of having a relationship with Kori.
On Friday, investigators said forensic analysis of Kori’s mobile phone on the day of the murder showed he was in Ngong, Kajiado county, away from his home.
Kori told the police that he had been visiting with friends in Ngong the day his wife was reportedly killed.
What caught the investigators eye was a text message that Kori sent his wife that day. Wambui was not at home when Kori arrived at around 10pm.
He sent a text message to Wambui’s cell phone telling her to spend the night where she was.
The text message would later turn out to be useful in the investigation. Police relied on it during interrogations.
Kori explained that it was an innocent message. He said he did not know his wife had been murdered.