Family of Kenyan woman killed together with her daughters by husband in the US speaks

Mary Njoki Stanton (49) was found dead at her home in Louisville, Kentucky, United States alongside her 17 and 11-year-old daughters. The husband Gary Stanton (60) is also believed to have turned the gun on himself and died.

Njoki's younger brother Moses Muchemi, told Citizen Digital that the couple had just returned back to the US after attending their father's burial in Kiamaina village.

Muchemi intimated that Gary had to leave three weeks earlier since their daughters were resuming school and Njoki remained behind to organise succession matters.

"He left before and my sister stayed one week longer because we were still continuing with succession issues about my father," he said on Monday.

"He would call on a daily basis on WhatsApp and if he does not reach my sister he would call me and ask me if she is okay."

Muchemi added that he was shocked when he later received the disheartening news of his sister's murder, claiming that Gary was an admirable family man and never seemed to be the type of committing such a crime.

"It came as a shock hearing that he did this. For us, he looked like he was a caring man and this was the last thing we expected. Even up to now I don't believe he could do that," he said.

"She came with her husband and nothing seemed off. The husband greeted us well and liked the children a lot. He would even take my kids out a lot as she did with others including my brother's," he added.

"It's still shocking and we want to wait for investigations from the local police in the States and tell us what really happened."

Njoki moved to the US around ten years ago after briefly working at CMC Kenya and also tried her luck in politics. While in the US she was working as a nurse and Muchemi says her family was well off living in a posh neighbourhood.

"She and her husband were quite conservative and they lived in a nice neighbourhood and were well off. They were in the process of starting their own healthcare company together with her friends."

Muchemi, who is a software engineer working with a US technology company, said they are yet to decide where their remains will be buried, saying her mother and elder sister have travelled to the US to identify the bodies as plans continue.

According to a report by a US media outlet, police said that Gary was the aggressor in the case however details are still limited on what triggered the outburst.

Njoki and one of the daughters were shot several times while the younger one was shot once. Gary died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.