Owami Davies: Third man arrested for murder as police search Croydon house for missing student nurse

A third man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the disappearance of Owami Davies, a student nurse thought to be missing in Croydon.

The 24-year-old, of Grays, in Essex, left her family home on Monday, July 4, and was last seen just after midnight in Derby Road, West Croydon, on Thursday, July 7.

Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are currently at a property on the street she was last seen on, in the hunt for Owami.

The semi-detached house has been cordoned off, and forensics teams are combing the building.

Tents have been erected outside, as detectives investigate the missing nurse’s disappearance.

Two men have already been arrested in the Croydon area in connection with the search for her, the Met Police said yesterday.

Now, the force has confirmed a third man has been arrested.

The 32-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, August 2, at an address in South Croydon and remains in custody.

On Monday, August 1, two men, aged 27 and 23, were arrested in the Croydon area in connection with the investigation.

They were taken to a south London police station where they remain in custody.

Police have now also released CCTV footage showing Owami Davie walking with a man down Derby Road, the last sighting of her.

The video shows Owami walking along Derby Road, near West Croydon station, with a man wearing dark clothes.

As the pair cross the road, a white van pulls out from the parking space to drive off.

Scotland Yard has also released two images of her in a shop on the same night.

Police are urging anyone who saw Owami or has information to come forward, and in particular are hoping to speak to the driver of the white van.

Det Ch Insp Nigel Penney said: “We are working hard to find Owami but we really do need the public’s help.

“Owami is very vulnerable and the longer she is missing the more we worry that she has come to harm.

“As a result of extensive CCTV enquiries we have a clearer idea of Owami’s movements, but we still need the public to contact us and tell us what they know.

“We would obviously like to speak to the driver of the white van that passed Owami in Derby Road, but anyone with information should call.”

The Met has said this remains a missing person enquiry, however detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are now leading the investigation due to their “resources and expertise”.

The next-door neighbour to the cordoned off house in Derby Road, Iman Salah, 42, has told LondonWorld about the dawn raid she witnessed in the early hours of Monday morning.

She revealed how she saw a stand-off between police and a man, and how detectives dismantled a mattress during a search.

She said: “My heart was racing, I was so shocked.

“Police were chasing him to come out and then the police were there on the other side of the road wearing their body cameras.

“All the SWAT teams were at the house, from here, the garden, everywhere. They blocked all the windows.

“We know the girl came from West Croydon station to Derby Road and they’ve seen from the CCTV camera, she didn’t exit the road.

“They were searching upside down the whole house.

“They dismantled the mattress. They removed it now but they opened it in half and looked inside it.”

Owami’s heartbroken mother issued a plea for her daughter to come home.

Mum Nicol Davies said: “There are many friends and family who love and care for Owami and all of them want to see her safe return.

“Owami - if you see this appeal please believe you are not in any trouble, we just want you to come back to us.

“Please leave a message if you can to let us know you are okay, we are so very worried about you.

“This is such a terrible time for all those who love Owami and I am pleading for anyone who can help find her to contact police.

“Every day we hope to hear the news that Owami is coming back to us, your help might make it so.”

Any witnesses or anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference 22MIS025307.

You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers.