Pastor asks for help to return body of victim murdered by elderly roommate

People who knew 32-year-old murder victim Janet Oyuga are sharing details about her life in her memory.

She was shot and killed by her 85-year-old roommate last week in Federal Way.

Her pastor told KIRO 7 on Christmas Day that Janet and her sister were letting the older woman stay with them out of the kindness of their hearts, but it ended in both sisters getting shot.

The pastor is now asking the community for help in a GoFundMe to send Janet’s body back home to her family in Kenya.

“We were in shock,” said Pastor Festus Gumbo, a pastor at the True Vine Seventh Day Adventist Church. He said both sisters – Janet Oyuga and Angela Atieno – are part of his congregation.

He found out last week both sisters were shot by their 85-year-old roommate.

Prosecutors said suspect Beverly Jenne was living in her long-time Federal Way home, but it went into foreclosure.

The two sisters bought the house (entered into a lease-to-buy program after it went to auction) and moved in last month.

“When they moved in, the lady who used to own the property requested them if they could allow her to reorganize herself and see where she could go next,” Pastor Gumbo said.

“Both of them (the sisters) are kind people. Also going by the cultural background of where Angela and Janet come from, it is always encouraged to be kind to older people and support them as much as you can. I think this is why they didn't find it difficult to allow the woman to stay a little bit,” Gumbo said.

Then last Thursday around 12:30 a.m., investigators say the 85-year-old woman got out a gun and shot the two sisters.

Court documents say Jenne shot Janet first and killed her, then shot Angela in the back as she was going up the stairs.

Detectives found a handwritten note in the suspect’s car, which said in part, “She drove me to this … I think she was getting ready to [e]vict me and I’m 85 and no place to go …”

“It was devastating,” Gumbo said. He said Janet was a home healthcare worker.

“Janet is a very compassionate lady. She gets along with people and she also likes helping people if she could. And very welcoming, outgoing, and industrious. Working really hard,” he said.

He’s now asking for your help on the Gofundme page to send Janet’s body back to Kenya for burial, and to help the surviving sister with medical bills.

“The two sisters were very close,” Gumbo said. “You try to be kind and then out of your kindness, you meet up with something most unfortunate that is least expected,” he said.

© 2019 Cox Media Group