Pain That Travels: Tracy Nyariki

In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: Just days before Christmas, 31-year-old Tracy Nyariki vanished from her Delaware home without a trace. What began as a missing persons case quickly unraveled into something far darker when her dismembered body was found over 70 miles away. Who was behind the brutal crime—and why? Anyone with information regarding this case should contact Detective Adam Holubinka of the New Castle County Police Department at [phone] or email [e-mail].
You can also submit anonymous tips through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or online at delawarecrimestoppers.com.

This is the story of Tracy Nyariki. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today we're
discussing a chilling case out of Newark, Delaware, one that
shattered a family and sent shockwaves all the way to Kenya.

(00:21):
It begins just days before Christmas twenty twenty four, when
a beloved thirty one year old nurse vanished without a trace.
Days later, her dismembered body would be found hundreds of
miles from home. This is the story of Tracy Nieriki.

(00:45):
Tracy Nieriki was born and raised in Kenya. She was
described as warm, devoted, and deeply ambitious. Tracy relocated to
the United States and became a nurse her chosen way
of giving back. Though she had only been working for
a few years in Delaware, she was always known for

(01:06):
her dedication to her patience and her unwavering support for
her family back home. She sent money regularly, helped with
her father's medical bills, and checked in often. Her uncle
later shared how she was the kind of person who
carried everyone's burdens quietly but with strength. Just weeks before

(01:29):
her murder. Tracy had something to celebrate. She had just
gotten married to her partner, a moment that symbolized new
beginnings and hope for the future. But those who knew
her best believed that the joy of that moment may
have triggered jealousy and rage in someone from her past,

(01:51):
someone who couldn't let go. On December twentieth, twenty twenty four,
Tracy failed to report to work for several days, prompting
concern from her employer. Her employer contacted the authorities. A
welfare check by the Newcastle County Police Department was then

(02:12):
set into motion. When police arrived at her residence in Newark, Delaware,
they found no signs of struggle, but also no sign
of Tracy. A Gold alert was issued, which is a
signal used when adults with health or safety concerns go missing.

(02:33):
At the time, Tracy's family in Kenya and in the
United States began raising alarm bells. They hadn't heard from her,
and something felt deeply wrong. It wouldn't take long for
the investigation to take a chilling turn. Just one day later,
on December twenty one, police located a man named Nobert

(02:57):
Matera a thirty two year old who they found in Aberdeen, Maryland,
about seventy miles away. He was found inside a vehicle
parked behind a Holiday in Express. Inside that vehicle where
dismembered human remains. The victim was later identified as Tracy Nieriki.

(03:24):
Matera wasn't just a stranger. He was someone from Tracy's past,
like her family had suspected. The full nature of their
relationship hasn't been made public, but friends and family members
believed Matera may have been an ex partner, someone who
couldn't accept her moving on. Authorities believed jealousy may have

(03:48):
been the motive. Matera was arrested and charged with first
degree murder. He was initially held in Maryland before being
extradited to Delaware to face justice. Investigators also suggested that
additional charges could be filed as the case develops. News

(04:09):
of Tracy's murder ripped through her community, both in America
and her homeland of Kenya. For her family, the pain
was unspeakable. Not only did they lose a loved one
in a brutal and senseless act, but they also had
to face the immense challenge of returning her remains to

(04:31):
Kenya and having a proper burial. Her uncle described her
as the heart of their family. She was everything to them.
Local Delaware authorities, as well as international consular services stepped
in to support the family through the difficult process. A

(04:53):
fundraising effort was even launched to help cover the cost
of transporting Tracy's remains back to Kenya. The investigation into
Tracy's murder is ongoing. Prosecutors are preparing what they say
is a strong case against Matera, but questions still linger.

(05:15):
How long had he been planning this, could her murder
have been prevented? And what warning signs might have been missed.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends
of Tracy Nyariki. Anyone with information regarding this case should
contact the Newcastle County Police Department. Anonymous tips can also

(05:40):
be submitted through Delaware Crime Stoppers. Contact details for the
lead detective and crime Stoppers can be found in the
description box below. As we close out this episode, don't
forget to hit the follow button to stay updated on
this case and others like it. Be sure to subscribe
to Hunting for Answers on YouTube and follow us on

(06:03):
Instagram and TikTok for more true crime updates, and if
you enjoyed this episode, leave us a five star rating.
Thank you so much for joining us on another episode
until next time. Hunting for Answers is a production of

(06:34):
the Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the
Black Effect Podcast Network, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.