Denis Kazungu was no ordinary man. He lured women, killed them, and buried their bodies under his kitchen floor. Discover the chilling story of Rwanda’s most shocking serial killer.
The Man Who Seemed So Normal
Denis Kazungu owned a motorcycle parts shop in Gashikiri, Kigali.
He helped people fix tires. He gave advice to new riders.
He was calm. Soft-spoken. Just another face in the neighborhood.
No one imagined he was Rwanda’s most cold-blooded serial killer.
Just like Carl Panzram, he hid a world of hate behind a calm face.
But Denis wasn’t acting out of rage.
His cruelty was cold, planned, and almost robotic.
🩸 The House of Horror
It started in 2023 when police got reports of bad smells and missing women.
Some neighbors said they’d seen women enter Kazungu’s home — and never leave.
One night, a woman escaped his house.
She ran to police, shaking, and said:
“He tied me up. He told me I’d never leave alive.”
That one escape saved many lives.
Police raided his home in September 2023.
What they found shocked the entire nation.
Beneath the kitchen floor, in shallow graves, they uncovered the remains of 14 women.
He had buried them right under his feet, and kept living as if nothing happened.
🧠 Twisted Methods and Chilling Calm
Kazungu didn’t snap.
He lured each woman with care.
Some were offered food. Others were promised jobs.
Many were sex workers. He knew they wouldn’t be missed quickly.
Once inside, he tied them with electric cords or nylon ropes.
Some victims were raped before being strangled.
Then, he’d dig a hole in the kitchen and bury them in silence.
He cooked meals above their bodies.
He slept in peace.
He smiled at neighbors.
It reminded many of the Turpin family’s hidden abuse.
Evil didn’t scream — it whispered.
📆 One Year of Murder
Between March 2022 and September 2023, he killed again and again.
Each time, he followed the same routine:
- Target a woman in need.
- Gain her trust.
- Lock the door.
- Kill.
- Bury.
In his confession, he told police:
“They deserved it. I did what I had to do.”
No remorse. No apology.
Just silence and control.
According to www.america112.com, Kazungu admitted that some victims begged him for mercy.
But he told them:
“No one will ever find you.”
He was wrong.
🚨 How the Police Missed Him
Kazungu had already been arrested once in July 2023 — for sexual assault.
But due to lack of evidence, he was released within days.
That decision cost more lives.
Two more women were murdered after that release.
The failure of the justice system still haunts many in Kigali.
Why was he allowed to go free?
⚖️ His Trial and the Silence in Court
In March 2024, Denis Kazungu stood in court.
He wore a plain shirt. His expression was blank.
He pleaded guilty to all 14 murders.
There were no tears.
No emotions.
The judge sentenced him to life in prison.
But many Rwandans say that “life behind bars is too kind” for a man like him.
🧩 Who Were the Victims?
They were not nameless.
Each one had a story.
- A young woman looking for a job to support her siblings.
- A mother trying to escape an abusive marriage.
- A student saving up for college.
They trusted him.
And he turned trust into a death sentence.
🕯️ Final Thoughts: Monsters Wear Masks
Denis Kazungu was Rwanda’s quietest killer.
He didn’t act out of rage. He acted with purposeful cruelty.
He is now behind bars.
But the lessons remain.
We must listen when people go missing.
We must care when others suffer.
Because silence lets monsters grow.
He cooked over their graves.
He joked with neighbors.
And he planned his next kill — all while smiling.
Let us not be fooled by calm faces again.