The alleged killer of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei from Uganda died on Monday from burns sustained during his alleged fatal attack against the Olympian.

The man accused of the murder is Cheptegei's former boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach. Authorities told Reuters that the accused died in the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in western Kenya at around 6:30 pm local time (11:30 am EST). It is the same hospital where the Olympian died on Sept. 5.

"He developed respiratory failure as a result of the severe airway burns and sepsis that led to his eventual death," Philip Kirwa, chief executive officer of the hospital, said in a statement, per Reuters.

Marangach reportedly suffered burns to about 41% of his body from his attack against Cheptegei. The attack reportedly happened on Sept. 1, a Sunday, just after she attended church with her children. She was reportedly doused in petrol and set ablaze by Marangach.

The 33-year-old athlete competed at the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing 44th in the women's marathon event.

Rebecca Cheptegei at the 2024 Olympics

According to NBS Sports, Cheptegei was one of 25 athletes who represented Uganda at the Paris Summer Games. She was among the three women who qualified for the marathon event.

It was her first Olympics.

Cheptegei also placed second at the 2023 Florence Marathon and finished 14th at the 2023 World Championships. She is ranked 299th in the world for women's marathon.

Cheptegei died four days after her brutal attack.

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