Lynn man enters not guilty plea to murder

SALEM – A Lynn man charged with killing his ex-girlfriend in the presence of their two young daughters three months ago remains held on no bail at the Middleton Jail, after pleading innocent.In Salem Superior Court Wednesday afternoon, Patrick Waweru, also known as “Mwangi,” 28, of 4 Kingsley Ter., entered his plea of not guilty to murder in the first degree in connection with the Oct. 15 stabbing death of Esther W. Kinyanjui.As jointly recommended by both the prosecutor and defense, Judge Leila R Kern ordered Waweru held on a no bail status and continued the case to Jan. 31 for a pretrial conference.Defense lawyer Russell C. Sobelman was allowed $5,000 to hire a forensic psychologist to examine Waweru regarding the evaluation of criminal responsibility to aid in his defense of the case.Sobelman said the case involves a defense of “criminal responsibility,” meaning that at the time of the offense charge, Waweru could not conform his actions to the requirement of the law.Sobelman explained that Waweru has had a “long history of mental illness.”Kern also allowed $1,000 in funds for Sobelman to hire an investigator to interview potential witnesses regarding Waweru?s background as well as other issues regarding trial.Prior to the incident, Waweru had convinced Kinyanjui, a registered nurse, to drive from Delaware, where she had moved with their two children, on the false pretense he needed her help to resolve a matter in court involving both of them. They apparently met the day before the incident and again on Oct. 15 at his Kingsley Terrace apartment.It was shortly after 9:30 p.m., when she convinced him to drive her back to her sister?s home at 130 Adams St., where he forced his way through the door after dropping her off.He went to the basement room where Kinyanjui was with her sister, Margaret Kinyanjui, and their 57-year-old mother, Ruth Nyamu.Waweru apparently lunged at Margaret hitting her on the head with a two foot-long board, and then struck Esther Kinyanjui.Their mother jumped on Waweru?s back as he wielded a knife out and began stabbing Esther Kinyanjui in the neck and slicing her throat.The 31-year-old mother of two girls, ages 1 and 4, died at North Shore Medical Center in Salem. She had sustained some 20 slashes to her body, according to reports.Their two daughters, reportedly witnessed the entire attack, police said.In addition to the murder charge, Waweru also pleaded not guilty to two counts of home invasion, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, two counts of reckless endangerment of a child and a single count of armed assault with intent to murder in connection with the case.Kinyanjui and Waweru immigrated from Kenya, Africa and met at a Malden church in 2000.She filed a restraining order in Lynn District Court against Warweru in August of 2000, claiming he threatened to hit her after he insisted she place photographs of him in the living room where they were living as roommates.It was not long after that she vacated the order.In 2005, Waweru filed a restraining order against her in Lynn District Court, claiming she broke into his former Walnut Street apartment on Jan. 3, 2005 while he was in Michigan, and stole a couch and a laptop computer and threatened his new roommate, but they subsequently agreed to have the case dismissed.After receiving her nursing degree, Kinyanjui moved in June of 2007 with her mother and children to Delaware, where she worked as a nurse.Waweru faces a life sentence in state prison, with no chance of ever being paroled, if convicted on the murder charge.Assistant District Attorney Jessica P. Connors is assigned to prosecute the case for the commonwealth.-30-