Life sentence for the murder of Vivienne Baraka in Ealing

Alvin Gitahi has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, 35-year-old Vivienne Baraka, in Ealing. Southwark Crown Court ruled on Friday 23 October that the 43-year-old must serve at least 21 years and three months before he can be considered for parole.

Gitahi was found guilty of murder on 6 August. The case concerned Vivienne’s death at Riverside Close in Ealing on 26 March 2024. Police were called at about 15:15 after concerns were raised for a woman’s welfare. Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended, but Vivienne died despite the efforts of emergency responders. A post-mortem examination found that she died from compression to the neck.

The Metropolitan Police said investigators examined electronic devices, messages and phone records, as well as taking witness statements. According to the police account, the evidence revealed a pattern of abusive behaviour before Vivienne’s death. Gitahi was arrested at the scene and was charged with murder on 8 October 2025.

In its statement after sentencing, the Met said the case was built not on one item but on a combination of digital material, telephone records and witness evidence. The force also reported that more than 23,000 officers and staff have received specialist training on violence against women and girls. That figure describes the Met’s wider response; it does not alter the facts established by the court in this individual case.

Vivienne’s family said she had been community-minded and had helped many people. They said she was taken from them too soon and remains deeply missed, while her spirit lives on through her daughter. EalingPulse is not including graphic detail or speculation beyond the information confirmed by the police and the court.

Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or worried about somebody they know, can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline free and in confidence on 0808 2000 247. The service is available 24 hours a day. In an immediate emergency, call 999.

The sentence completes the stage of the criminal proceedings described in the Metropolitan Police statement, but it cannot remove the consequences of Vivienne’s death for her family. For that reason, this report remains marked as sensitive and should receive editorial review before any public release.

The police statement identifies the sentence, the minimum term and the evidence used in the investigation. It does not provide a basis for speculation about matters outside the conviction. This report therefore confines itself to the confirmed court outcome, the investigation timeline and the support information published alongside it.