A Newark man has admitted responsibility in a homicide case that drew attention across New Castle County during the 2024 holiday season.
On April 29, 2026, 33-year-old Nobert Matara entered a guilty plea to Murder in the First Degree in New Castle County Superior Court, bringing a resolution to the killing of 33-year-old Tracy Nyariki.
Court records indicate the plea stems from a December 17, 2024 incident in which Matara went to Nyariki’s apartment in the Village of Kent complex and remained there until she returned home. Investigators determined that he then carried out a prolonged and violent attack, fatally injuring her before dismembering her body and concealing the remains inside a suitcase.
Authorities said Matara left Delaware following the killing and traveled to Aberdeen, where law enforcement later located him at a motel. Detectives discovered Nyariki’s remains in the trunk of his vehicle, leading to his arrest.
The case initially unfolded after coworkers reported Nyariki missing when she failed to appear for work just days before Christmas. Officers with the New Castle County Division of Police responded to her apartment but were unable to locate her. Investigators noted suspicious circumstances inside the residence.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit identified Matara as a person of interest as the search intensified. Coordination with the Aberdeen Police Department led to his location in Maryland, where members of the New Castle County Special Investigations Squad assisted in the case.
During the early stages of the investigation, First State Update readers reported seeing law enforcement activity searching around a dumpster near Nyariki’s apartment.
Matara was taken into custody in Maryland and later extradited to Delaware to face charges. Under Delaware law, a conviction for Murder in the First Degree carries a mandatory life sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for a later date.
