Elvis Opiyo, the former National Intelligence Service officer linked to the March 2026 acid attack on Seventh-day Adventist singer Mary Claire Ochieng, is set to be buried in a Christian ceremony after his family reportedly rejected traditional Luo burial rites.Elvis Opiyo, NIS officer in acid attack case, set for Christian burial as family rejects Luo rites
Opiyo died on August 11, 2026, after he was found unconscious inside his rented house in Umoja Two, Nairobi. Police said substances suspected to be poison were found near his body, with investigations into his death ongoing.
He had been the main suspect in the acid attack, in which Mary Claire and another woman suffered serious injuries after being doused with a corrosive substance along Ngong Road in March. Police alleged that Opiyo had orchestrated the attack by hiring another person to carry it out. He had denied the allegations and was out on bail when he died.
Opiyo’s death has also sparked attention within Seventh-day Adventist music circles, where he was known as a gospel musician and minister. Several ministries mourned him as a fellow singer and “brother in Christ”.
His family has now opted for a Christian burial, distancing the funeral from traditional Luo rites. The decision comes as relatives prepare to lay him to rest while the circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
The acid attack case against Opiyo effectively ended with his death, although the investigation into the assault and his death remains separate. Meanwhile, Mary Claire continues to require specialised treatment following the devastating injuries she sustained in the attack.