Police investigating the death of a woman whose body was found in the boot of a car in London believe she was attacked by someone she knew, but are “keeping an open mind”.
Harshita Brella, 24, from Corby, Northamptonshire was found in a vehicle in Ilford, east London, in the early hours of Thursday.
A murder inquiry has been launched and Northamptonshire Police say they are working to establish the circumstances behind her death. The force has also referred itself to the police watchdog because of previous contact with the 24-year-old.
What we know
Northamptonshire Police was contacted on Wednesday by a member of the public concerned for Harshita Brella’s welfare.
Officers went to her home in Skegness Walk, Corby, but got no answer, the force said.
A missing persons investigation was launched and her body was found in the boot of a car in Brisbane Road, Ilford, in the early hours of Thursday.
A post-mortem examination established that she had been murdered, sparking an investigation.
Detectives have said they believe Brella was attacked by someone she knew and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
Harshita Brella’s body was found in a car on Brisbane Road, Ilford, east London. (Google Maps)
Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell from the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU ), said: “I want to express my heartfelt condolences to everyone who loved Harshita Brella. She was a young woman in her early 20s with her whole life ahead of her and it is absolutely tragic that her life has been cut short in this way.
“Detectives from EMSOU and Northamptonshire Police are working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and timeframe in which it took place.”
He added: “Although we believe Harshita was attacked by someone known to her, we are keeping an open mind and would appeal to anyone who knew her to contact us with any relevant information they may have.”
What we don’t know
Northamptonshire Police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because of previous contact between it and Brella.
However, it hasn’t given any further details about that previous contact and what it entailed.
It is also unknown how she died. While a post mortem examination revealed she had been murdered, police have not revealed any further details on her injuries or what detectives believe happened in the run-up to her death.
Northamptonshire Police said a member of the public had raised concerns for the 24-year-old’s welfare ahead of her body being discovered, but we don’t know what these concerns were and who that member of the public was.
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