Nelly Akomah killing: Man and woman arrested at airport on suspicion of murder of 76-year-old woman
Two people have been arrested at an airport on suspicion of murder after a 76-year-old woman was found dead in her home.
Police were called to a house in Ladbrook Road, Thornton Heath on Wednesday morning.
Nelly Akomah, 76, was found dead inside.
A man aged 28 and a woman aged 31 were arrested in the early hours of this morning at Stansted Airport. They have been taken into police custody.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with Nelly’s family and friends.
“Nelly was active in her church and her loss will be keenly felt by many people. The arrests mark substantial progress in what is a fast-moving investigation.
“I don’t underestimate the level of concern in the local community following this shocking incident and there are various suggestions circulating about what may have happened.
“At this stage, we are investigating the possibility that there was a burglary at Nelly’s address. I must stress that our investigation is in its very early stages and we are working to establish what exactly happened.”
Nelly’s family have been informed of this development. They are being supported by specially trained officers.
Detectives named Ms Akomah yesterday as part of a public appeal for information. A post-mortem examination began yesterday and police await the results.
DCI Blackburn added: “I want to reiterate my appeal to the wider public.
“We need to know what led to Nelly’s sad death. If you haven’t already spoken to officers and you have information, footage or anything that could help our investigation, please do so without delay.
“Were you in the area of Ladbrook Road, Croydon during the evening of the June 20 between 10pm and midnight?
“Do you have any dashcam footage? Did you see anyone else in the area or any activity that you thought may be out of the ordinary? If you can help, we need to hear from you.”
Pictured top: Nelly Akomah (Picture: The Met)
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