Second Man Held After University Lecturer's Death
Police are yet to find a motive for attack on Daniel Young
A second man has been arrested after university lecturer Daniel Young was found stabbed to death in the morning rush hour on Tuesday (January 19) in Kendor Gardens, between Merton Park and Morden.
A 35-year-old man was arrested today (January 21) on suspicion of muder. He was taken to a south London police station where he remains in custody.
Detectives are appealing for witnesses after 30-year-old Mr Young (below) was found with stab wounds in the Park, which is between Dorset Road and Sandbourne Avenue.
A 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, after initially being arrested on suspicion of wasting police time, has since been bailed to return to a South London police station in early March pending further enquiries.
Police had been called by the London Ambulance Service to reports of an injured man at 8.07am on Tueaday. An air ambulance attended the scene, but Mr Young was pronounced dead.
It is understood he was heading for his second day in a new job as a teaching fellow at Coventry University's London campus. He previously been the General Manager of the Antoinette Hotel in Wimbledon Broadway for many years.
At this early stage in the investigation a potential motive is yet to be established and detectives are keeping an open mind as to whether Mr Young was attacked by a stranger or someone known to him.
Police are also investigating an earlier incident at 7.25am in Lewis Road, Mitcham, where a 23-year-old man suffered stab wounds to his buttocks. He suffered non-life threatening injuries and remains in hospital.
The two incidents have not been linked forensically or evidentially, but due to the time and close proximity to Mr Young’s murder, police are working to establish if there is any evidence that the same suspect has committed both attacks.
Detective Superintendent Paul Monk,
of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “I understand the concerns of the public and particularly the residents of Merton, that the attack on Daniel Young was unprovoked and potentially committed by a stranger in a random attack. We too share those concerns and have allocated significant resources to find the person who did this.
“Detectives are currently conducting house-to-house enquiries. Specialist officers continue to carry-out extensive searches in Kendor Gardens and the local area. Significant CCTV and forensic work is also underway and we are confident that the investigation will move forward quickly.
“I reiterate that random attacks of this nature are thankfully rare in London, however we keep an open mind and at this early stage are not ruling out any line of enquiry.
“This is a very busy area, and was particularly busy with people going to work and commuters walking to nearby rail and tram stops. A number of people came across Daniel after he was attacked and tried to help him - I believe there may be more witnesses who have yet to come forward, or perhaps have not realised the significance of something they have seen. I appeal to them to call the incident room or Crimestoppers.”
A post-mortem examination at St George’s Hospital has found the cause of Mr Young's death to be a stab wound. Police are not discussing where on the body this was.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the incident room on 0208 721 4961 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 FREE.
January 21, 2016