A 24-year-old woman, believed to be South Asian, has been found murdered in a car boot in east London after a missing person inquiry was launched for her in the East Midlands.
Northamptonshire Police named the victim as Harshita Brella on Saturday (16) night as the force launched a murder inquiry and appealed for information in the case.
Police said it had received a call on Wednesday (13) regarding concerns for Brella's welfare and officers were deployed to her home address at Skegness Walk in Corby, Northamptonshire.
After getting no answer, the police launched a missing person investigation and fast-track enquiries were made which led to the discovery of the victim's body inside the boot of a vehicle on Brisbane Road in the Ilford area of east London in the early hours of Thursday (14).
A post-mortem was conducted at Leicester Royal Infirmary on Friday which established the murder victim as Brella, whose name indicates a South Asian heritage, but there is no further confirmation of her family background at this stage of the inquiry.
Detective chief inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU) offered his heartfelt condolences to those who knew and loved Brella. He described her as a young woman in her early 20s with a promising future, calling her untimely death "absolutely tragic."
He explained that detectives from EMSOU and Northamptonshire Police are working tirelessly to uncover the circumstances surrounding her death, including the exact time and location where it happened.
He urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward, stating that while the police believe Harshita may have been harmed by someone she knew, they are keeping an open mind.
"If you knew Harshita or saw anything suspicious in the past week, please get in touch. Even the smallest piece of information could help," he said, adding that they would rather receive information that proves irrelevant than miss something important.
Investigators believe Harshita was killed in a "targeted incident" as they appealed to anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.
The police said officers were satisfied there is no wider risk to the public as a result of this incident, however, extra patrols will be taking place in Corby in the coming days for reassurance purposes.
As is mandatory, Northamptonshire Police has also made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to previous contact between the police force and the victim.
"Shortly after midnight on the morning of Thursday, November 14, the Met was contacted by officers from Northamptonshire Police raising concerns for the welfare of a woman who was believed to be in a car in the east London area," a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.
"The car was located parked in Brisbane Road, Ilford, and the body of a 24-year-old woman was found inside the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing and there will be continued police activity over the weekend in various locations, including Corby and Ilford."
Superintendent Steve Freeman from Northamptonshire Police, said, “Although we believe that this was a targeted incident and there is no wider risk to members of the public, extra patrols will be taking place in Corby in the coming days for reassurance purposes."
The police investigators are now working to establish the connection between her going missing from her home in Corby, around 145km north of London, and being found dead in a car in London days later, reports said.
(with inputs from PTI)
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