Ex-Boyfriend Who Allegedly Killed Olympic Marathon Runner in Gasoline Attack Dies From Burn Injuries
The ex-boyfriend of Olympic marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegei has reportedly died from injuries sustained during an attack on the athlete.
Multiple outlets reported that Dickson Ndiema died Monday evening, Sept. 9, at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, where he was being treated after suffering burns to more than 30 percent of his body.
Ndiema’s death comes just days after he allegedly poured gasoline on Cheptegei and set her on fire following an argument over ownership of the land where Cheptegei’s home was located.
ESPN reported that Cheptegei's parents had bought land in Trans Nzoia so their daughter could be close to the county's many athletic training centers.
Cheptegei—who recently competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics—suffered burns to 80% of her body. She died from “full organ failure” around 5 a.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 5, at a hospital in Kenya.
She is set to be buried on Saturday, Sept. 14, at her ancestral home in Kapkoros, Bukwo District, Uganda. Cheptegei was 33 years old.
