Two people were arrested in the early hours of this morning in a police swoop at Stansted Airport in connection with the murder of a Thornton Heath pensioner.
Victim: Nelly Akomah, 76, found dead in her home on Wednesday
The police say that a man, aged 28, and a 31-year-old woman have been taken into custody on suspicion of the murder of 76-year-old Nelly Akomah.
Nelly Akomah was found dead in a house on Ladbroke Road, SE25, on Wednesday morning. It is reported that she was discovered at the foot of the stairs, possibly the victim of an attempted burglary.
While formal identification awaits and the post-mortem has yet to be completed, detectives named Nelly Akomah yesterday as part of a public appeal for information.
It is the fifth murder investigation undertaken in and around Croydon since April.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: “The arrests mark substantial progress in what is a fast-moving investigation.
“I don’t underestimate the level of concern in the local community following this shocking incident and there are various suggestions circulating about what may have happened. At this stage, we are investigating the possibility that there was a burglary at Nelly’s address. I must stress that our investigation is in its very early stages and we are working to establish what exactly happened.
“I want to reiterate my appeal to the wider public.
“We need to know what led to Nelly’s sad death. If you haven’t already spoken to officers and you have information, footage or anything that could help our investigation please do so without delay.
Murder scene: police collect evidence from the house on the closed-off Ladbrook Road
“Were you in the area of Ladbrook Road, Croydon during the evening of June 20 between 22:00hrs and midnight? Do you have any dashcam footage? Did you see anyone else in the area or any activity that you thought may be out of the ordinary? If you can help, we need to hear from you.”
Nelly Akomah was a churchgoer described by her neighbours as “the loveliest lady, always smart and smiling”.
Dame Susan Solanke, lay president of Akomah’s church, said her death was a “big blow” to the mission: “Sister Nelly, only last week we were all at a weekend retreat, full of life.
“You were such a valuable member of the mission who will be sorely missed. My heart is broken with this cruel, mindless and senseless attack. I pray god brings the culprits to book as soon as possible.”
Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, responsible for policing in Croydon, said: “I want to reassure Nelly’s family and the community that the investigation team are working diligently to establish the facts.
“People in the local area will see an increased police presence over the coming days and I would encourage anyone to come forward and speak to them to share information or to raise any concerns they may have.”
The investigation was launched after police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.40am on Wednesday, June 21, to reports of a woman found dead at a house on Ladbrook Road, SE25.
Anyone with information is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 2540/21Jun.
You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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