Park muder hunt: police appeal for witnesses
Police investigating the murder of a woman who was stabbed to death at breakfast time while out jogging in a busy park tonight issued an appeal for witnesses.
Officers were also trying to identify the woman, whose bloodstained body was found on a path in Victoria Park in Hackney, east London, at 8.30am.
Police said a cyclist, someone walking a dog and another jogger heard chilling screams at 8.30am and rushed to an area of the park where the woman was found slumped on a path between rose gardens and a children’s play area.
The woman, aged 25-30, was white, 5ft to 5ft 6ins tall, and had short dark brown hair.
She was wearing a pair of black leggings, a green fleece top and grey trainers, but was not carrying any identification.
Detective Chief Inspector Ron Scott, of the Metropolitan Police Serious Crime Group, who is leading the murder hunt, said: "We are still appealing for anyone who knows the identity of this woman to contact us as soon as possible.
"Victoria Park is very busy most mornings with joggers, people setting off to work and others walking their dogs.
"I urge anyone who remembers having seen the victim or may have seen or heard anything suspicious at approximately 8.30am on Monday, February 3, to contact us immediately."
A post mortem examination performed at Poplar Mortuary tonight confirmed that the woman was stabbed to death.
Police cordoned off Victoria Park soon after the attack and were trying to establish whether the woman was sexually assaulted.
Mr Scott said: "What we would like to know is who this young lady is.
"Three members of the public were alerted to screams in the park ' they were people walking dogs, jogging and cycling ' and she was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.30am by a local doctor."
About 40 officers began a search the park which covers an area of two square miles for the murder weapon.
Mounted police, dog teams, a helicopter and underwater search teams were called in.
Several lakes within the park were being dredged in a search for clues, as were several canals which flow through the park.
Once the woman’s identity is known police will try to discover if she was the victim of an opportunist attack, or was attacked by someone she knew who had been lying in wait.
