Providence man convicted of violently murdering estranged wife, children found deceased mother

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced that a Providence man has been found guilty of murder by a Providence County Superior Court jury for killing his estranged wife, 51-year-old Maniriho Nkinamubanzi, in 2017. 

Following the conclusion of an 11-day trial before Superior Court Justice Joseph Montalbano, a jury found 53-year-old Bosco Tukamuhabwa guilty of one count of domestic second-degree murder and one count of domestic criminal violation of a No Contact Order. 

“Murder is a tragic and all-too-common outcome of domestic violence,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Perpetrators of domestic abuse want to exert control over their victims, and often their behavior will escalate, especially when they feel as if they are losing that control. Maniriho wanted to move on from the defendant, and sought a No Contact Order as a tool to free herself from this abuse. While nothing can undo the pain of losing their mother, I hope that this verdict will bring Ms. Nkinamubanzi’s children some semblance of peace, and the sense that justice has finally been served. And I am grateful to the Providence Police Department for their hard work on this case and many others.”

During the trial, the State proved that Tukamuhabwa murdered Maniriho Nkinamubanzi, bludgeoning and stabbing her to death in her home.

On November 9, 2017, the victim’s children reported their mother missing to Providence Police. The following day, while searching the apartment for clues as to their mother’s whereabouts, the children discovered their deceased mother in a bedroom closet. Police immediately responded to the scene where investigators identified signs of blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds on her body, as well as blood spatter on the wall outside of the closet. 

A forensic analysis of Tukamuhabwa’s cell phone placed him in the vicinity of the victim’s home at the time of her murder. Additionally, the Department of Health tested a combined 19 items from the crime scene and Tukamuhabwa’s residence, including several bloodstained items containing DNA from both the defendant and the victim. 

Tukamuhabwa’s contact with the victim violated a No Contact Order issued in April 2017 after an incident of physical violence.

“The Providence Police Department works tirelessly to keep our communities safe and bring justice to those who perpetrate senseless acts of violence, such as this one,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez, Jr. “I am thankful for the hard work of our detectives, as well as the Attorney General’s Office, throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case.”

Assistant Attorneys General Timothy Healy and Meghan McDonough of the Office of the Attorney General and Detectives Angelo A’Vant and Jimmy Clift of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.

A sentencing date was not released.

GoFundMe fundraiser Maniriho Nkinamubanzi