DETECTIVES hunting 35-year-old Michelle Samaraweera’s killer in East London who they believe has raped two other women have tonight issued an e-fit of the suspect. Any man living in the E17 district who fits the description is being asked to volunteer a DNA sample
ABOVE: the face of a killer and serial rapist stalking the streets of East London.
BELOW: The killer’s 35-year-old victim, Michelle Samaraweera, raped and murdered in a children’s play-park—one of three women raped in just nine weeks.
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DETECTIVES hunting 35-year-old Michelle Samaraweera’s killer in East London who they believe has raped two other women have tonight issued an e-fit of the suspect.
Any man living in the E17 district who fits the description is being asked to volunteer a DNA sample.
Michelle’s body was found at 5.50am on May 30 in a small park and children’s play area in Queens Road, Walthamstow. She had been strangled and raped.
DNA LINK
The murder has been linked by DNA to two other rapes in the same neighbourhood.
The first was on March 24 at 1am when a 59-year-old woman was raped in her bedroom by a man forcing his way into her house in Queens Road as she arrived home.
The second attack was on April 22, also at 1am, when a 46-year-old woman walking along the main Lea Bridge Road was bundled into a secluded alley and raped.
The e-fit Scotland Yard issued this-evening is of a suspect described as Asian or dark skinned in appearance, aged between 30 and 45 years.
CRIMEWATCH
It is being shown tonight (Monday) on BBC’s Crimewatch programme.
Det Supt Vic Rae, said: “The e-fit and tonight’s Crimewatch appeal is aimed at anyone with any concerns or suspicions to come forward.
“Someone has a brother or a son who may have acted suspiciously or been in the Queens Road area at the times of these attacks.
“It is vital they think of the community and come forward. This man must not be allowed to strike again.”
ELIMINATE
Detectives from the Met’s Homicide & Serious Crime Command have been carrying out a DNA sweep’ of men in Walthamstow, making house-to-house calls at 9,000 addresses in E17, asking anyone matching the description to volunteer DNA samples to eliminate as many from the investigation as possible.
Det. Supt Rae added: “Much planning has gone into this decision. It is the quickest way to eliminate men from the investigation.”
The DNA will be destroyed once volunteers have been eliminated and will not be kept on record, a Scotland Yard spokesman said this evening.
Police are urging anyone with information to call the incident room on 020-8345 3715, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111.
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