Sabina Nessa is thought to have been killed as she walked to a bar on Friday night.
Teacher Sabina Nessa is thought to have been murdered during a walk to a local pub that should have taken just five minutes, according to police.
Police are treating the primary school teacher’s death as a murder, although a post-mortem examination was inconclusive. They believe she was murdered on Friday evening as she walked through Cator Park from her home on Astell Road on her way to meet a friend at a bar.
She left her home just before 8.30pm on Friday. Her body was discovered under a pile of leaves close to the OneSpace community centre within Cator Park at around 5.30pm the following day.
A man in his 40s had been arrested on suspicion of murder but he has been released pending further investigation.
A candlelight vigil has now been organised by the Kidbrooke community in memory of Sabina, who was a Year One teacher at Rushney Green Primary School in Catford.
The vigil will take place at Pegler Square, Kidbrooke, at 7pm on Friday, with local church, St James’ Church Kidbrooke, opening its doors the same day to offer prayer to those affected by the tragic incident.
Those who can’t attend the vigil are being encouraged to light a candle on their doorstep.
#SabinaNessa matters join us this Friday 🕊🌻💛 pic.twitter.com/IoRIjWu7y0
— Annie A Gibbs 🇲🇱 (she/her) (@AnnieAGibbs) September 21, 2021
The vigil has received the support of Reclaim These Streets, the group behind the candlelit vigil in memory of Sarah Everard in March.
On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police made a fresh appeal for information, releasing the details of her route in the hope that any witnesses will come forward.
Detective Inspector Joe Garrity said: “Our investigation is making good progress and specialist officers remain at the crime scene carrying out intensive searches and enquiries.
“We are incredibly grateful for all of those who have so far come forward and spoken to us but we believe there are still others out there who may have information that could help. If you think you saw Sabina or any suspicious behaviour in or around the park on Friday evening please speak to us.
“Sabina’s journey should have taken just over five minutes but she never made it to her destination. We know the community are rightly shocked by this murder – as are we – and we are using every resource available to us to find the individual responsible.”
Anyone with information or any witnesses should call the incident room on 0208 721 4266 or can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if they wish to remain anonymous. Information can also be reported to police on 101, reference 5747/18.
