PrefaceThe red dust of Mashonaland Central holds many secrets, but none so harrowing as those unearthed between April 2024 and the dawn of 2026. In the quiet districts of Guruve and Mvurwi, where the rhythm of life is dictated by the seasons of maize and the slow movement of cattle, a darkness took root that would eventually capture the horrified attention of an entire nation.The Shadow of Guruve is a chronicle of a community under siege. It is the story of Anymore Zvitsva, a man who emerged from the unassuming village of Vheremu to become one of the most prolific and chilling figures in Zimbabwean criminal history. Over twenty-one months, the "fields and grazing areas" that had for generations been symbols of sustenance and peace were transformed into hunting grounds.This book traces the terrifying evolution of a predator. We begin with the "First Silence"-the initial, isolated tragedy in Nyakapupu that local authorities struggled to categorize. We follow the escalation through the "Year of Fear," as the suspect moved from the anonymity of the bush to the brazen, brutal violation of the home. Finally, we recount the staggering loss at Ona Farm, where a single night of violence claimed five lives and forced a national mobilization of the CID Homicide Unit.But beyond the forensic details of snare wires, machetes, and mountain manhunts, this is a story about the resilience of the Zimbabwean spirit. It is about the bravery of villagers who barricaded their doors yet refused to abandon their land, and the relentless pursuit of justice by law enforcement officers who tracked a phantom through the jagged Nyamaka terrain.The events recorded here are drawn from court affidavits, police records presented before Magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe, and the harrowing testimonies of those who survived. As Anymore Zvitsva sits under police guard, awaiting the final judgment of the law, this book serves as a testament to the twelve souls lost to the shadow. It is an attempt to understand the incomprehensible, and a record of the long, painful road toward reclaiming the peace of the Guruve hills.