The body of a murdered woman who failed to turn up at a friend’s house on Christmas Day was discovered by friends who were out searching for her.
Detectives investigating the murder of Iuliana Tudos, 22, have renewed their appeal for information from the public as more details of the circumstances of her death emerge.
Tudos, who is believed to have been attacked on Christmas Eve, was found stabbed and with a head injury in Finsbury Park, north London, on Wednesday afternoon, three days after she failed to arrive at a friend’s house to celebrate Christmas.
Speaking at the scene on Friday, Supt Des Fahy from the Metropolitan police told journalists that friends of Tudos found her body in a disused outhouse in the park, after forming their own search party. Previous reports said she was found by a member of the public.
Police believe she was attacked at the scene and are investigating whether the homeless occupant of a tent pitched nearby was involved.
Fahy said: “We know that her friends found her while they were looking for her and they are devastated.
“We are forensically examining her property as there are some items missing from her and that also forms part of our investigation, but it is so sensitive we can’t give any further details at this stage.
“There is a tent used by homeless people, there are a lot of homeless people in the park and that forms part of the inquiry. We are still looking for a motive and are developing the investigation.”
The rock music lover, who was of Greek and Russian origin, was last seen boarding a bus at 8pm on 24 December after finishing a shift at the World’s End pub in Camden. Friends say she was on her way home to collect some clothes and was due to arrive at their home in Enfield later that evening.
Police believe Tudos, who was also known as Julie or Juliana, may have been attacked while taking a short cut through the park to her flat, which was several hundred yards from where her body was found.
In a statement, Fahy also said that although no arrests had been made a week after she is believed to have died, the public should not be alarmed as incidents like this are extremely rare. Extra officers had been deployed for reassurance.
“Police are working tirelessly, following multiple lines of enquiry to track down the person, or people responsible – that’s why the area will need to remain cordoned off for some time. People should be alert, but not alarmed, and make sure to report anything suspicious to police.
“By all accounts, Iuliani was a bubbly lively girl enjoying a fun life in London when she was tragically taken from her loved ones. Our hearts go out to them,” he said.
DCI Nicola Wall, who is leading the investigation, said her murder detectives were trying to piece together a timeline of the woman’s last movements. She said: “Our enquiries from CCTV footage have now ascertained that Iuliana was seen on the periphery of the park on Christmas Eve, shortly after 20:20hrs.”
Wall said the police wanted to hear from anyone who saw, had contact with, or heard from Iuliana after this time and they would also like to hear from anybody who saw anything suspicious within the park over the Christmas period.
She added: “We are in touch with Iuliana’s family, who are currently living abroad, and they are naturally devastated, as is her close network of friends in the UK. All of them are desperate for any information that can help us find out what happened to her, so I would urgent anyone with information to please contact us as soon as possible.”
Cards, flowers and T-shirts have been placed near the entrance of Finsbury Park by friends and members of the public.
One card, which said it was from her flatmate Rosie, read: “Our lives won’t be the same without you. So young, so beautiful, taken from us far too early. I will only ever hold on to the good memories. I will miss you every day. My heart is burning. Your memory will live on.”
In a tribute on Facebook, former colleague Anthony Cardwell described her as “the loveliest girl you could meet”.
A Go Fund Me page set up to raise money for funeral costs has raised over £12,000 since being launched by her friends on Thursday.
