The youngest victim of a family of four stabbed to death at home in southeast London had moved in just days earlier, it has emerged, as a murder suspect remains in hospital.
Grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, her partner Denton Burke, 58, daughter Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, and granddaughter Samantha Drummonds, 27, were all found dead inside a terraced house in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, after officers forced entry at about 1.40am on Monday.
It has since emerged that Samantha, Tanysha’s daughter, reportedly told a neighbour she was returning to the family home in Bermondsey for a week while she had some work done to her flat about five miles away in Forest Hill, Lewisham.
It comes as police on Tuesday revealed a 28-year-old man from Lewisham remained under arrest on suspicion of murder in hospital, where he is receiving treatment but in a stable condition.
The suspect, who is thought to have known the victims, was Tasered by armed officers after they descended on the house.
Police confirmed Ms Hill and Mr Burke lived together at the house in Delaford Road, Southwark, while Ms Ofori-Akuffo lived in Kennington, Southwark, and Ms Drummonds lived in Forest Hill in the neighbouring borough of Lewisham.
Ms Hill’s niece, Venecia Reid, who visited the scene in the hours after the attack, said her maternal aunt was a mother of two from Jamaica who recently underwent cancer treatment.
She said her aunt worked as a housekeeper at nearby Guy’s Hospital for many years, was a “very nice lady” and a Christian.
“She looks over everybody,” she said. “They didn’t deserve this. She is a very lovely lady.”
Her partner Denton worked as a street sweeper in London, according to Ms Reid, while her daughter Tanysha was a district nurse.
Ms Hill’s surviving daughter, Tracey Henry, raised the concern with police, according to Ms Reid, and is said to be “absolutely devastated”.
Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust confirmed Ms Hill was a “well-respected” colleague and union rep who worked in its pharmacy department for more than 21 years before her retirement in 2018.
Paying tribute, Alastair Gourlay, director of estates and facilities, said: “We are devastated to hear about the tragic death of Dolet Hill, who worked as a housekeeping assistant in our pharmacy department for more than 21 years before her retirement in 2018.
“Dolet was a well-respected colleague, who also helped to improve the workplace for others as an active Union representative.
“Our thoughts are with Dolet’s family, friends and all who worked with her.”
Neighbours told of how they heard “screaming” in the early hours of Monday before armed police descended on the quiet street, just a short walk from Millwall FC’s stadium.
One 55-year-old neighbour, who did not want to be named, told The Independent he was woken by the commotion at about 1am.
“I was dozing off,” he said and “heard some screaming, so I opened the window and looked around, but I didn’t see anything so I went back to bed, turned the TV up.
“As I was dozing off again, I heard helicopters hovering above, which were driving me mad, so I got up and saw police cars and the police were lighting the area up like it was a carnival.
“I saw all the guys in suits and four ambulances, and I knew it was something serious.”
Tony Birkett, 65, who lives nearby, said he woke to find the street flooded with armed officers.
Speaking to The Independent on his doorstep, he said: “I was asleep and didn’t know anything until my daughter came into our room and said: ‘Do you know there’s armed police down the street?’
“I looked out of the window this whole street was covered in armed police cars – there were about nine of them.”
“It’s a quiet area – you can hear a pin drop at night,” he added.
Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who is leading the murder investigation for the Metropolitan Police, appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
She said: “This was a truly horrific incident and I fully recognise that the distress for the family and the community will be overwhelming.
“We are conducting a thorough and detailed investigation into the facts and we are appealing to anyone who can assist with any information to come forward.
“If you know anything or saw anything that you think might help us piece together the events which led to this, then do not hesitate, please call police.
“You can also call Crimestoppers if you do not want to give your name.”
“We deeply appreciate all the help we have already received from local people and I would like to thank them for their patience and support in what is likely to be a protracted inquiry.
“We are moving as fast we can at the scene, but we need to ensure we uncover all the facts and secure every bit of necessary evidence, and this may understandably take some time.
“We are aware that we have family, friends and a community that are all asking questions, we are determined to give them the answers they deserve as soon as possible.”
Police said they were called to reports of a disturbance at the property in Delaford Road at 01.42am on 25 April.
Officers arrived and became concerned for the safety of those inside the house when they could get no reply, and forced entry.
Inside they found four people, three women and a man, who appeared to have been stabbed.
Despite the efforts of officers and paramedics, all four were pronounced dead at the scene.
