Nelly Akomah murder, Croydon: Grandmother killed in ‘possible burglary’ near Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park

A woman in her mid-70s has been found dead at her home, with the Met Police launching a murder investigation.

Mother-of-two Nelly Akomah was found dead in her house near Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium in south east London yesterday morning.

Police are treating her death as murder but there have been no arrests. Detectives say the possibility that there was a burglary is being looked into.

One neighbour said Nelly - described as a “Spring chicken” who was still very active - was found at the bottom of her staircase, leading those who found her to at first suspect she might have fallen. Other local residents said they would often see the “cheery” walking in the area ‘belting out’ gospel songs.

Fellow churchgoers described her as an “understanding” leader of the “Croydon group” of the Upper Tooting Methodist Church in south London.

Ladbrook Road where Nelly lived, near Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park ground, remains cordoned off by police tape with several officers guarding either entrance. Residents living on the road are made to sign in and out when they leave or return to their homes. Neighbours said they have been told by police that they will remain in the area for several days.

‘Lovely woman’ Nelly Akomah

One woman, who knew Nelly well and went to church with her for several years, described her as a ‘lovely woman’ who was a popular figure in the local community.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “She was a lovely person. We attend the same church as her - the Upper Tooting Methodist Church. She was one of the leaders for the Croydon Group there. She was so understanding - a lovely woman, and it’s really, really sad to hear what happened.”

She added: “I was taking my son to violin yesterday and we usually go down Ladbrook Road to get the bus, but it was cordoned off. We thought that was odd, and when we came back they were still there. It was only this morning when people from the church said Nelly had died.

“I’ve known her for years, and my husband’s family have known her for years as well… 30-odd if not more years. She’s got two daughters, and I’m not sure how many grandchildren, but I certainly know of one grandchild. She’s got a sister who lives nearby and goes to the same church as well.

“It’s a huge shock to the community. It’s very, very sad. She was such a lovely woman, and a very happy woman. You just hope they find the person who did it as soon as possible. I hate to think what her family are going through.”

A local man, who came across the scene yesterday morning, said: “She was found at the bottom of the stairs, because they thought she had fallen down the stairs. A woman came out screaming as I got there. There were people on the phone and they said it looks like she has fallen down the stairs.”

Another woman said: “It’s just such a shock. She was a lovely lady - very much a churchgoer. She was 70 but she was a spring chicken; very active and you would see her walk up and down the road, singing. She wasn’t a lady who needed assistance.”

She added: “This attack is just barbaric. You wouldn’t wish it upon anybody and, as a neighbourhood, we are all quite concerned. It’s stabbings of kids that we usually get around here. Something like this is not normal. It’s quite a safe community. Everyone looks out for each other and most of the people have been in their houses for 30, 40 years. I would say it’s random, more than anything.

“The fact she was a churchgoer, and she was always so happy and cheery and wouldn’t have hurt a fly… It’s just so sad. It must be very hard on the neighbours themselves as well. This has shocked the area. My kids go to the local school. It makes you worry.”

She said Nelly “used to walk along singing gospel tunes - belting them out”.

Nigeria Methodist Mission UK

A spokesperson for Nigeria Methodist Mission UK and Ireland said Nelly had been “attacked”.

In a statement, the Mission said: “Nigeria Methodist Mission UK and Ireland are very sorry to announce the loss of our long-standing leader and beloved mother, Mrs Nelly Akomah who passed away yesterday after an overnight attack in her residence in London. She will always be dearly missed and our thoughts and prayers are with her loving children, grand children, family, Tooting Methodist Church, Nigerian Fellowship, and close friends. Please remember the police in your prayers as they continue their investigation.”

Met Police murder investigation

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, said: “First and foremost my thoughts are with Nelly’s family and friends. Nelly was active in her church and her loss will be keenly felt by many people.

“I don’t underestimate the level of concern in the local community following this shocking incident and there are various suggestions circulating about what may have happened. At this stage, we are investigating the possibility that there was a burglary at Nelly’s address. I must stress that our investigation is in its very early stages and we are working to establish what exactly has happened.”

The investigation was launched after police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.40am on Wednesday June 21 to reports of a woman found dead at a house on Ladbrook Road. A post-mortem examination is due to be held on today.

DCI Blackburn said: “I want to reiterate my appeal to the wider public. We need to know what led to Nelly’s sad death. If you haven’t already spoken to officers and you have information, footage or anything that could help our investigation please do so without delay. Were you in the area of Ladbrook Road, Croydon during the evening of June 20 between 10pm and midnight? Do you have any dash cam footage? Did you see anyone else in the area or any activity that you thought may be out of the ordinary? If you can help, we need to hear from you.”

Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain, responsible for policing in Croydon, said: “This is an incredibly heart-breaking incident and my thoughts are with Nelly’s family and friends. For the wider community, I know you will be concerned, feeling uneasy and have a lot of questions about what happened.

“I want to reassure Nelly’s family and the community that the investigation team are working diligently to establish the facts. People in the local area will see an increased police presence over the coming days and I would encourage anyone to come forward and speak to them to share information or to raise any concerns they may have.

“I am conscious that there has been speculation on social media and possibly shared in the local community. I appreciate that such speculation is an inevitable part of a police investigation of this nature. While I am in no doubt that many people are acting in good faith, I want to ask people to think of Nelly’s family who may read what is posted online. Some of the details posted will no doubt add to what is already an incredibly distressing time for them. I would also remind people that detectives are still working to gather information about what exactly has happened.”

There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

Anyone with information is asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 2540/21Jun. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.