The soldier who is accused of killing his estranged wife and two children could have suffered depression after crashing a plane, his colleagues have said.

Major Peter Mugure, 36, has been detained at the Nanyuki police station. On Saturday, the bodies of his 31-year-old wife Joyce Syombua and children were exhumed from a shallow grave on Thingithu estate in Nanyuki town, Laikipia. Mugure led detectives to the site.

Laikipia DCI officer Peter Muinde who led his officers in the recovery operation that lasted for 21 days said multiple sources helped them piece together leads that eventually made their mission successful.

He said the prime suspect will help them with investigations so they get other suspects who might have been involved.

Another source said a taxi driver in Nanyuki town was hired by the suspect to identify the site where the bodies were buried.

“It is informative that a taxi driver was approached by the prime suspect to identify where the bodies would be dumped so he is paid handsomely,” the source said.

It is not known how the woman, who had a court case against the estranged husband, decided to visit him.

“The woman supposedly had to deposit her national identity card at the main entrance to the camp and pick it while leaving since she was a civilian according to military procedures. It is evident that the officers who were manning the gates will have questions to answer” the source said.

Syombua's phone was recovered from a 4NTE matatu that had departed from Nakuru to Nanyuki and the driver handed it over to the office.

The suspect has another wife, who is also an Air Force officer. He is expected to be arraigned in Nanyuki today to answer to murder charges.

Meanwhile, Nanyuki residents have demanded that the old cemetery, which had been turned into a dumpsite, be fenced and managed by the Laikipia county government.

The Star/ Eliud Waithaka