Detectives are investigating murder after two bodies of women were found floating on a river in Embu County.

The bodies had decomposed when they were discovered on Kapingazi River in Matakari area on Wednesday August 13, police said.

The bodies had decomposed and one had its right foot missing, witnesses and police said. The motive of the murder is yet to be known, police said, adding there were indications the bodies had stayed on the water for more than four days.

There is also a likelihood that the bodies were ferried to the scene after being murdered elsewhere. The bodies were moved to the mortuary pending identification and autopsy, police said.

Police said it was difficult to estimate their ages because the bodies had decomposed.

Elsewhere in Kithyoko, Masinga, Machakos County, a woman was found dead after a suspected murder. Her door was locked prompting police and locals to break in to access the body of Pauline Mukeli Nzioka, 34.

The body had been immersed in a water tank in the house. Police said there were blood stains on the floor of the house and her pair of slippers lay apart.

The assailant used a hammer and iron sheet cutter to execute the mission. The weapons were found with blood stains in the bedroom.

The police suspect a love triangle to be the motive of the murder. The body had multiple injuries on the head and was moved to the local mortuary pending investigations and autopsy.

Police said they were looking for the husband of the deceased woman for questioning. Locals said the man had separated with his first wife and there was still bad blood between the two. The first wife will also be interrogated for information on the incident, if any, police said.

Murder cases have been on the rise and some of them are linked to love triangles, land and robberies.

Police are struggling to address and solve the dozens of pending murder cases.