Missing Kenyan woman found dead in her house in Australia

A Kenyan woman was on Wednesday found dead in her apartment in Australia after being reported missing by relatives and friends.

Jelagat Cheruiyot, 34, who hails from Cheptiret in Uasin Gishu was to travel to her sister’s graduation in United States last week but when she did not show up, they began looking for her.

According to The West Australian and Perth Now, Cheruiyot who was known affectionately as Nancy had not been seen or heard from for as long as seven days before police found her body in an Osborne Park property.

Family and friends became concerned after they were unable to contact her for days, and contacted Morley police station were a welfare check was done and her decomposing body found.

Local police said it is unknown how long she had been dead.

POSSIBLE MURDER

Police said due to the nature of her injuries, they declared it a homicide and started an investigation.

“We are trying to put an exact time on the last time she was seen and it’s part of our investigation to speak to anyone who might have seen her, including people from work. It appears at this stage it could be as long as seven days,” said the police.

Cheruiyot had worked at a local business and police are appealing to the public for more information and are particularly interested in two vehicles linked to the premises which are now missing.

“A full forensic investigation is occurring now (and) was occurring all last night, today and will probably continue into tomorrow,” a detective told 7NEWS.

Police would not say whether there was a suspect as the circumstances of her death were uncertain.

Two of Cheruiyot's relatives living in Perth have been contacted but detectives are still trying to get in touch with her wider family.