31 year old man murdered in Ilford, England

Detectives are still appealing for witnesses and information following the death of a man in Ilford which is now being treated as murder. Two other men were seriously assaulted.

At around 01.00hrs on Thursday 9 September, police were called to reports of an injured man in Ilford High Road. The 58-year-old (Victim 1) was taken by ambulance to an east London hospital suffering serious head injuries.

It appears that he had been assaulted nearby, close to Buckingham Road Cemetery.

At around 15.30hrs the same day, a member of the public called police to an injured man near to Buckingham Road Cemetery. The 42-year-old (Victim 2) was taken by ambulance to an east London hospital suffering serious head injuries.

Following a search of the area, officers discovered the body of a third man (Victim 3) near to the cemetery at around 20.00hrs. The man, believed to be 31-years-old, was pronounced dead at the scene.

We await formal identification and confirmation that next of kin have been informed.

A post-mortem gave cause of death as blunt trauma to the head and neck.

Victims 1 and 2 are in a serious but stable condition. Both have been transferred to another east London hospital.

An incident room has opened at Barking under DCI John Macdonald (HSCC).

DCI Macdonald said: "I believe that all three men were attacked between 23.00hrs and midnight on Wednesday evening while they were together near to the Buckingham Road Cemetery.

"All three were rough sleepers who frequently slept in a car park adjacent to business premises off Clark’s Road near to Ilford High Road.

"I need to hear from anyone who saw or heard a disturbance in or around Clark’s Road and the Buckingham Road Cemetery late on Wednesday (8 September) or in the early hours of Thursday (9 September) morning."

A 43-year-old man [A] was arrested at approx. 19.00hs on Friday 10 September in connection with the investigation. He remains in custody at an east London police station.