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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Asher Mcshane

Canning Town murder probe: bodies of two women found 'in freezer' in London flat

Murder detectives are investigating after the bodies of two women were found in a freezer in an east London flat, according to reports.

Scotland Yard said officers discovered the bodies after being called to the home on Vandome Close in Canning Town at about 11.45am on Friday.

The bodies of the two women, who have not been identified by police, were found inside a freezer, the Mail Online reported.

A police source told the Mail Online: "The bodies were found in the freezer inside the flat apparently.

Police at the scene in Newham today (Jeremy Selwyn)

"There were two victims. One of them is understood to have been on the Missing Persons list for quite some time.

The murder investigation is being led by the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command and the force said it was working to formally identify the women and trace their next of kin.

Police have sealed the windows of the flat (Jeremy Selwyn)

Local residents expressed concern for the welfare of a mother-of-two from the area who has been missing for 12 months.

A police tent in the garden of the flat in Canning Town (Jeremy Selwyn)

There are fears one of the victims could be Mary Jane Mustafa, a 38-year-old mother of two who disappeared mysteriously last May.

However her family said they still hope she will return home.

Forensic Staff remove evidence from the flat in Newham (NIGEL HOWARD ©)

Her niece Hazel Ozulku wrote on Facebook last night: "There is no need to think negative at this point because we still believe she is fine and she will come home."

There are fears Mary Jane Mustafa from Canning Town could be one of the victims after she disappeared last May

Her sister Zeynep Mustafa Sukan wrote: “When are you coming home, sis? I miss you like you wouldn’t believe!”

A 49-year-old man, who has lived on the street for 18 years and did not want to be named, said he had spoken to police.

"They told me that a body had been found, they showed me a photo of a woman but I didn't know her," he said.

Police in Newham after the discovery of two bodies inside a flat (NIGEL HOWARD ©)

"I've just heard on the news that it was two bodies. [I'm] just wondering why?"

Police said no arrests had been made. No details of any suspect have been formally released.

Scenes of crime officers in protective clothing were at the scene on Monday evening.

Bags of evidence were being carried out of the building that contains six flats, while officers guarded the entrance behind police tape.

The glass front door of the block of flats was covered to prevent people seeing inside.

One resident of the block, who did not want to be named, said he had only just found out about two bodies being found.

"I'm astonished, it's a little community," he said.

"We're all tight-knit around here, everybody knows everybody."

The bodies were found in an area that has seen two fatal stabbings in recent years.

Ahmed Deen-Jah was stabbed to death in a shop on Freemasons Road in April 2017, while 17-year-old Lord Promise Nkenda was attacked by a gang of teenagers and died in nearby Goldwing Close in February 2018.

A 29-year-old local resident, who did not want to be named, said the area suffered from "petty crime" but the discovery of bodies was "unusual".

He added: "This is not common... it doesn't put you at ease, you don't know [under] what circumstances these people were killed.

"When you don't know, you're concerned."

Detective Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker said: "The launch of any murder investigation is naturally of concern to the local community and we have borough officers in the area supporting colleagues from the Homicide and Major Crime Command as they investigate the full circumstances.

"A crime scene is in place and we would encourage anyone with information about what may have happened at this premises to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 4303/26APR."

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