A 35-year-old Kenyan woman who was last week arrested in Texas, US for shooting dead her former husband, also Kenyan, says she never intended to kill him.
Marie Kendale Kimani reportedly shot dead 40-year-old Jonathan Tumbo at her house in Rhome, Texas following a confrontation.
She later made a distress call to the police, who found the deceased inside the master bedroom closet.
The suspect later told the police that Tumbo entered the closet and asked her to follow him. That’s when she said he placed his hand around her throat and produced a gun.
She told police she managed to gain control of the gun and accidentally shot Tumbo in the chest.
“Kimani stated the firearm discharged, striking the male on the left side of the chest. (Kimani) told deputies she did not mean to kill him,” said a police statement.
However, the police said Ms Kimani’s account is not consistent with evidence gathered by detectives.
“Subsequent follow-up investigation by investigators and related evidence was not consistent with Kimani’s account of physical altercation,” the police said.
Ms Kimani is currently in police custody at the Wise County Jail as she tries to raise $1 million bond.
Civil court records indicate Kimani filed for divorce from Tumbo in June, and their divorce was finalised in August 24. They had been married since April of 2009, according to the court record.
Domestic violence cases among Kenyans in the US have been rising in a worrying trend.
