Darnell Sterling. PHOTO | COURTESY
Boyfriend of missing Kenyan woman in US charged with her murder
The boyfriend of a Kenyan woman who went missing last week in the United States is now facing second-degree murder charges in connection with her disappearance.
Local police say 34-year-old Olga Ooro was last seen in the 300 block of Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest on Thursday, July 16, shortly after she returned home from dinner with her boyfriend Darnell Sterling.
Police say that although Ooro’s remains have not been found yet, her boyfriend, who they have identified as 55-year-old Sterling, was arrested and charged on Thursday after an investigation determined that the offence is domestic in nature.
The alleged crime was “domestic,” police said Friday. Metropolitan DC Chief of Police said the previous day that Ooro was last seen with her boyfriend, who had a history of abusing her.
Domestic assault
Sterling had multiple previous arrests for domestic assault against Ooro, according to court documents.
Ooro was reported missing on Sunday, 19 July, by her father who came to her apartment to pick up his grandson and found the boy alone.
Ooro’s son was found alone in the home two days later and informed a neighbour that he was looking for his mother.
This prompted neighbours to contact the police.
Ooro’s neighbours say it is unlike her to leave her son by himself. “She would never leave her son like that,” a neighbour told detectives.
Police say they saw a man they believe to be Sterling on surveillance video in Ooro’s apartment building struggling to pull a cart that had a large object consistent with the size of a person wrapped and covered with a blanket, according to court documents.
Sterling denied being that man.
According to local media, Sterling told investigators he was nowhere near at the time Ooro’s missing apartment building key fob was used, but police said tag readers showed his car in D.C.
Ooro’s family told police her behaviour was very unusual.
Her mother said she wasn’t aware her daughter was being abused. She wants her body to be found.
“She would never leave her son like that,” Newsham said they told detectives.
A reward of as much as Sh2.5 million ($25,000) is being offered to anyone with information on the case.
Detectives say the case will remain active until her remains are found.