Kate Mitchell, a Project manager attached to the BBC Media Action, was discovered dead in her hotel room in Nairobi on Friday.
According to preliminary investigations, Mitchell was strangled to death by a man she was seen with earlier in the Kileleshwa area. The man died after attempting to flee the murder scene by jumping from their eighth-floor room.
According to Nairobi regional Commander Augustine Nthumbi, the two were involved in an argument that escalated into a physical altercation.
Officers added that Mitchell sounded the alarm when the fight escalated, but he was strangled.
Sleuths combing Mitchell’s hotel room said the door had been shut from the inside when detectives arrived. They discovered Mitchell inside the room, dead, and noted several broken glass chippings on the floor.
The detectives discovered a man’s body lying on the ground after looking through the window.
The motive for the murder has yet to be discovered. Mitchell was assigned to BBC Media Action’s Ethiopian office when he returned to the country.
Peter Mitchell, Kate’s brother, said on behalf of his family:
‘Kate was a deeply beloved daughter, sister and friend, and we are only beginning to realise the magnitude of her loss.
‘Kate loved her work and was tireless in her efforts to make the world a better place. She leaves behind many, many beloved friends and colleagues around the world. We want to extend our sympathies to everyone who knew, worked with and loved her, and our sincere thanks for the many messages of comfort we have received.
‘We are working with FCDO and with Kate’s colleagues at BBC Media Action to understand what happened. The circumstances surrounding her death are still being investigated, and we would ask you to ignore speculation in parts of the press and on social media.
‘We ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy as we grieve Kate’s loss’.
