Chihota Man Kills Own Mother For Solar Panels And Cellphones, Then Joins Search Party

Man Joins Villagers In Search For Own Mom After Killing Her, Hiding Her Body & Selling Her Goods

A 19-year-old Chihota man coldly joined villagers in the desperate search for his missing mother after he had already brutally murdered her, hidden her decomposing body in a disused toilet, and begun selling off her belongings for cash.

In a case that has sent chills through the quiet rural community of Chihota under Chief Mudzimurema, Nelson Zinyoro is assisting police with investigations into the gruesome murder of his own mother, Tambudzai Maruza (52).

The horrific incident came to light after the family reported the mother missing on February 13, 2026. Little did the grieving father and fellow villagers know that the killer was walking among them, pretending to search for the woman he had just silenced forever.

The Grisly Discovery

According to police reports, the young man allegedly struck his mother on the head with an axe, causing her instant death. In a chilling display of depravity, Nelson then undressed the body. With the help of his friend, Gift Nyamadzawo (28), he allegedly dragged the victim’s naked body into a disused toilet pit located in a maize field and secured the entrance to hide the evidence.

Investigators revealed that the two suspects then burned the victim’s clothes, attempting to destroy any forensic link to the crime. Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Simon Chazovachii, confirmed the arrests.

“Police arrested two men in connection with the murder in Chihota. The now deceased had been reported missing on February 13, 2026. The suspects are facing murder charges.”

A Son’s Betrayal

The true horror of the case emerged as detectives pieced together Nelson’s actions following the murder. After hiding his mother’s body, he reportedly retrieved her bedroom keys and began ransacking her possessions. He allegedly intended to sell the items for cash, treating his mother’s life’s work as the spoils of a calculated crime.

Among the items taken were solar panels, an inverter, two cellphones and scotch-cart wheels—goods worth a significant amount to the rural household. He allegedly began selling these goods to unsuspecting villagers, a move that ultimately raised suspicions and led to his arrest.

A distraught villager, speaking through tears, described the chilling atmosphere that has gripped the community since the truth emerged.

“What shocked us is that he was among those searching for his mother while knowing the truth of his actions. We are still in disbelief, especially considering the act of undressing her body. The clothes burned into ash; the keys to her bedroom fell into the pocket of someone consumed by impulse and fear. The once-secure signs of a family—solar panels, an inverter, two cellphones, scotch-cart wheels—vanished amidst village gossip. As the search for Tambudzai stretched over several days, a father’s anguish turned into a quiet demand for answers. The village watched, and eventually, whispers led to the truth: a murder tied to property disputes, a boy choosing greed over love, and a path resulting in consequences that will not be easily forgotten.”

The community remains in a state of shock, struggling to comprehend how a son could commit such an unspeakable act against his own mother, and then possess the coldness to join the search party, looking into the eyes of grieving relatives while knowing exactly where her body lay hidden.