NORTON- Police have launched investigations into a gruesome murder after the body of a 40-year-old man was discovered in Norton this week.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) confirmed that the body of Patrice Tinashe Chipaumire was found on 25 August 2025 along a footpath near Knowe-Katanga Road.
The victim had a deep cut on the throat, flesh missing from the right cheek, and mutilations to the left arm and genitals.
“The ZRP is investigating a murder case in which the body of Patrice Tinashe Chipaumire (40) was found lying along a footpath near Knowe-Katanga Road in Norton on 25/08/25, with a deep cut on the throat, flesh removed from the right cheek, with the left arm and genitals mutilated.”
The circumstances of the case suggest a possible ritual killing, as some body parts were removed from the victim.
Ritual killings are premeditated murders carried out on the belief that human body parts hold supernatural powers.
They are often associated with the harvesting of organs, blood, or other body parts for use in traditional practices, spiritual rituals, or for perceived economic benefit, sometimes under the influence of self-proclaimed traditional healers or witch doctors.
