
Police Officer and Three Children Found Dead in Homa Bay as Investigators Examine Family Dispute
A police constable and three children were found dead at a home in Rachuonyo West, Homa Bay County, on April 6, 2025, in a case police investigated as a suspected murder-suicide.
The officer was identified as Police Constable David Okebe Goga, who was attached to Marsabit Police Station. Police said the three children included his two children and a five-year-old child belonging to an in-law.
Police recover handwritten note
Investigators said a handwritten note was recovered from the house. The document referred to prolonged family and marital disputes, work-related pressure, burial wishes and instructions concerning the officer’s property.
Police later said they were analysing the note as part of the investigation, including efforts to establish whether it had been authored by the officer. Daily Report KE is not reproducing the note in full because it contains references to self-harm, threats and violence.
What police said happened
According to reports citing police, officers entered the home after concerns were raised and found the officer and the three children dead. Preliminary police findings indicated that the children had died before the officer, but the circumstances remained subject to post-mortem examination and further investigation.
The children were reported to be aged six, five and five. Their bodies, together with that of the officer, were moved to a mortuary for post-mortem examination and other procedures.
Family dispute mentioned in the note
The recovered note contained allegations about difficulties in the officer’s marriage and disagreements involving relatives. Those claims were the officer’s own assertions and should not be treated as independently established facts.
The note also referred to pressure at work and indicated that the officer had been expected to return to duty in Marsabit after his leave.
At the time, police said the motive had not been conclusively established and that investigations were continuing.
Case renewed attention on police welfare
The deaths prompted renewed discussion about mental-health support and welfare among police officers. The National Police Service and the National Police Service Commission have previously introduced counselling and psychosocial-support initiatives aimed at officers facing stress, trauma and other pressures associated with policing.
However, no single factor should be assumed to explain an individual case. Domestic conflict, work stress and other pressures may be mentioned during an investigation, but determining motive requires evidence and should not be reduced to speculation.
Responsible reporting on suicide and violence
Daily Report KE has deliberately omitted graphic scene details and the full contents of the recovered note. Publishing detailed descriptions of suicide methods or violent threats can cause additional harm to families and readers and is not necessary to understand the public-interest facts of the case.
Sources
- The Star: Police report on the deaths in Rachuonyo, Homa Bay
- The Star: Investigation into the handwritten note
- People Daily: Police welfare issues raised after the incident
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or at risk of self-harm, contact emergency services or seek urgent help from a qualified health professional or a trusted person nearby.
