A 60-year-old Nigerian woman, Nkiru Chima, has been discovered dead with several stab wounds in her apartment in Romford, East London.
Authorities said the tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening, July 27, and was brought to light after the British Transport Police raised concerns about Chima’s wellbeing, prompting a welfare check at her residence on Bushy Close, Romford.
According to a statement released by the UK Metropolitan Police on Tuesday, officers who responded to the alert found Chima’s lifeless body with visible stab injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Police are continuing enquiries following the death of a 60-year-old woman in Romford,” the statement read.
“On Sunday, 27 July, Met Police received a report from the British Transport Police at around 19:00hrs following concerns for the welfare of a woman at an address in Bushy Close, RM1.
Officers located a woman at the address with multiple stab wounds; she was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. She has since been named as 60-year-old Nkiru Chima from Romford.”
As investigations progressed, police confirmed a possible link between Chima’s killing and the death of a 20-year-old man who was found dead on the train tracks at Romford station earlier the same day.
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, explained, “As our enquiries have progressed, we are confident that Nkiru’s tragic death is connected to the death of a 20-year-old man on the train tracks at Romford station earlier that evening.
This man was known to Nkiru and British Transport Police continue to investigate his death.”
She also extended appreciation to residents for their support and urged anyone with relevant details to assist the investigation.
“I would like to thank the local community for their support with this investigation so far.
Our thoughts continue to remain with Nkiru’s family at this difficult time.
Our officers will be continuing enquiries and we encourage anyone with any information to contact us.
Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or contact ‘X’ @METCC and quote CAD6914/27JUL,” Yorke added.