Ex-Boyfriend of Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei Who He Allegedly Set on Fire Dies From Burns Sustained in Attack
Her ex-partner succumbed to burns covering more than 41 percent of his body.
The former partner of ex-Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who has been accused of killing her in a fiery attack, has died from burns he sustained from doing so.
On Sept. 1, Cheptegei was allegedly attacked by Dickson Ndiema Marangach in Kenya after getting into an argument over property, resulting in her being set on fire. The brutal attack led to her suffering from burns that covered more than 80 percent of her body, ultimately leading to her death because of multiple organ failures.
TMZ reports that Marangach passed away due to the ailments that he suffered during the attack. He suffered burns over 41 percent of his body due to the alleged assault.
“At the ICU he developed respiratory failure as a result of the severe airway burns and sepsis that led to his eventual death on Monday at 6:30 PM despite life-saving measures,” said Dr. Philip Kirwa, CEO of Kenya’s Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Marangach was believed to have snuck into Cheptegi’s home while she was at church with her two daughters. He was accused of ambushing the athlete when she returned and lighting her on fire after having a dispute over some land that she purchased near the Kenyan athletic training center.
Shortly after her death, the Uganda Athletics Federation shared a heartfelt message to her on X. “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our athlete, Rebecca Cheptegei, early this morning, who tragically fell victim to domestic violence,” the organization wrote.
“As a federation, we condemn such acts and call for justice,” it continued. “May her soul rest in peace.”
Speaking to Reuters, Cheptegei’s father, Joseph relayed that Marangach fell victim to karma. “This guy is dead because he killed my daughter,” he said. “He has died because of his actions.”
