Detectives searching for a suspect over the murder of a bus driver returning home from work in east London believe he is nearly 300 miles away in Cornwall.
Derek Thomas, 53, was fatally stabbed in the chest near Stoke Newington Common on August 1.
Scotland Yard took the rare decision to name Kamar Williams, 33, whose home is in the Isle of Dogs, and warned members of the public not to approach him.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, of the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command, said enquiries now lead officers to believe Williams has been in the Camborne area of Cornwall for a number of days.
He added: “We’re grateful for the help of our colleagues in Devon and Cornwall Police, who are working alongside officers in my team to carry out searches and locate Williams.
“I urge any local people who see Williams to call 999 immediately. Do not approach him. If you have information as to his whereabouts, call us immediately.
“Kamar, if you are reading this – do the right thing and go to a police station immediately.
“There are scores of officers out looking for you and dozens of others working behind the scenes, and that is not going to change until you are in custody.
“We still believe Williams is being helped with transport and accommodation.
Kamar Williams, 33, is #WANTED in connection with a fatal stabbing in #StokeNewington #Hackney. We can now name the victim as 53yo Derek Thomas.
— Hackney Police (@MPSHackney) August 3, 2024
Williams lives in the #IsleofDogs #TowerHamlets #E14 & should NOT be approached - ☎️ 999 if seen.https://t.co/GztMlwpgkY pic.twitter.com/tv7SSM2mco
“I have to reiterate again that anyone working to frustrate our enquiries can expect to find themselves in very serious trouble that could end up with them going to prison.
“Think long and carefully about whether that is something you want.”
The last sighting of Williams in London was at around 7.15pm on August 3 when officers acting on intelligence stopped a car on Westbourne Avenue at the junction with Burnt Ash Hill.
As officers approached on foot, the vehicle sped off and collided with several others.
A number of people sustained minor injuries, but police said fortunately none of them is serious.
Williams got out of the car and ran off. A woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assisting an offender and taken into custody. She was later released on bail.
A police spokesman said: “We believe he sustained a leg injury in that incident, for which he received hospital treatment.”
Go-Ahead London driver Mr Thomas, from Stoke Newington, has been described by colleagues as “a true gentleman at work and always smiling”.
A post mortem examination held at Poplar Mortuary on Thursday gave his cause of death as a stab wound to the chest.
Paying tribute to Mr Thomas, Tom Joyner, managing director for Go-London, spoke of his “great sadness”.
“The entire team at Go-Ahead London is saddened by this incident and the tragic loss of one of their colleagues, and our thoughts are with the family of the colleague who has lost their life,” he said.
“We will ensure our teams and the family of our colleague receive any support required from Go-Ahead London during this difficult time. We are assisting the Police with their investigation into the incident.”
