A man has been charged with the murder of two women believed to have been killed more than a year and four months apart in south east London.
Carl Cooper, 65, of Hither Green, was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Friday accused of killing 41-year-old Naomi Hunte and 48-year-old Fiona Holm.
Ms Hunte was found stabbed to death at an address on Congleton Grove, Plumstead on Valentine’s Day, 2022.
Cooper was arrested on suspicion of Ms Hunte’s murder the same month but was later bailed under investigation.
He was not on bail at the time of Ms Holm’s disappearance.
She was reported missing on June 29 this year after she was last seen going to an off licence in Verdant Lane on June 20.
Her disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation.
But the Metropolitan Police said the investigation was transferred to its Specialist Crime Command on July 11 due to the out of character nature of her disappearance and the amount of time since she had last been seen alive.
On the same day Cooper was arrested on suspicion of Ms Holm’s murder and subsequently charged with the murder of both women.
The Met added that searches to find Ms Holm’s body are ongoing at addresses and some open areas in South East London.
The force’s Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as is routine following the death of someone subject to a missing person investigation, police said.
Officers are appealing for anyone with any information relating to Ms Holm’s disappearance to contact police via 101 or Tweet @MetCC quoting 22MIS023317.
