The search for a missing student in western Kenya has ended in tragedy after her body was discovered in a forest on the outskirts of Kisumu.

Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations said the remains of the 21-year-old student from the Ramogi Institute of Advanced Technology were found in Riat Forest following days of searching.

Officers from Kisumu West Sub-County, working alongside police units from Maseno and Riat, made the discovery. Authorities said the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and bore stab wounds, pointing to a violent attack.

Last message raised alarm

Investigators say the case began when the student sent a distress message to her sister after being unable to make a phone call due to poor network coverage.

In the message, she reportedly said she had been lured into a drinking session with two men she knew before being attacked and abandoned in a forested area.

Her phone went off shortly afterwards, prompting relatives to raise the alarm and report her missing.

Police say early efforts to trace her led them to the Milimani area in Kisumu, near the Kenya Wildlife Service offices, where she was last seen.

Arrest of suspect

The discovery of the body came after detectives arrested a man described as a prime suspect in the case.

According to investigators, the suspect is believed to have had a prior relationship with the victim and had allegedly issued threats in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.

Police said he had also been seen on the night in question in the company of a woman believed to have been the victim.

“The recovery of the body bearing knife stab wounds follows the earlier arrest of the prime suspect,” the DCI said in a statement, adding that the investigation points to a violent assault preceding the student’s disappearance.

Authorities have not ruled out the involvement of other individuals and say inquiries are ongoing.

Investigation continues

Detectives say forensic analysis and intelligence work helped piece together the student’s final movements before her disappearance on the night of April 5.

The suspect remains in custody and is expected to be charged as investigators gather further evidence.

The killing has drawn renewed attention to concerns over the safety of young women and students, particularly in urban centres where cases of violence have prompted calls for stronger protections and faster investigations.

Police have urged anyone with information to come forward as they continue to build the case.