London murder suspect arrested after woman found dead in her home

‘Deceased and the arrested man were known to each other,’ police say

The woman was found dead at a home in the Isle of Dogs (not pictured ) (PA)

A man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a woman who was found dead in London, in the capital’s third alleged murder of 2019.

The victim’s body was found after the Metropolitan Police were called to her home in the Isle of Dogs over welfare concerns.

A spokesperson for the force said the woman was in her 30s and has not yet been formally identified.

“A 32-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. He has been taken to an east London police station where he remains in custody,” the statement added. “The deceased and the arrested man were known to each other.”

A post-mortem examination will be held in due course.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Considine said: “We are at an early stage in our investigation but require the assistance of the public to help us piece together what exactly happened.

“If you heard or saw anything at the address that seemed out of place or of concern on Saturday 5 January or the days leading up to it, please don’t hesitate to contact us.”

It came after a married couple were found dead at their home in Rainham, north-east London.

The deaths of Simbiso Aretha Moula, 39, and her husband Garikayi Moula, 51, are being treated as “unexplained” by police.

Scotland Yard said detectives from the homicide and major crime command are investigating but they are not looking for anyone else.

Public records for a dissolved company they owned together listed Ms Moula’s occupation as midwife and Mr Moula as a nurse.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Considine said: ”We are piecing together our understanding of how Mr and Mrs Moula died. We are ensuring that next of kin are being fully supported at this most difficult of times.”

Two people were killed in London on New Year’s Day. Charlotte Huggins, a 33-year-old mother, was killed in Camberwell hours after wishing her loved ones a “healthy, happy 2019” on social media. A man has been charged with her murder.

An hour later, bouncer Tudor Simionov was stabbed as he tried to stop gatecrashers forcing their way into an exclusive Mayfair party.

The 33-year-old, who recently moved to the UK from Romania, was hailed as a hero for protecting his colleagues from a group of men who attacked two other security guards and a woman.

The number of people killed in London hit a 10-year high in 2018 and more than a fifth of victims were children and teenagers.

The total number of homicides - 134 - was the highest since 2008 and represented a 15 per cent rise year-on-year.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has named street violence her “number one priority” and acknowledged the last 12 months had been “challenging”.

She said there had been a rise in domestic killings but that the number of young people being stabbed in public had fallen.