Police launch murder investigation and name man found dead in Crystal Palace car park

Share this article

Police have launched a murder investigation and named the man found dead in Crystal Palace.

A member of the public discovered Ion Radu, 46, unresponsive in the car park of Effra Court, Homelands Drive, on Thursday morning (June 1). 

Police believe Ion died from a stab wound to the liver and are appealing for the public’s help in establishing the circumstances surrounding his death.

Detectives say Romanian national Ion was likely a “familiar face” in the area but may have been “homeless and potentially vulnerable”. 

Man found dead in south London car park

Detective Chief Inspector Sal Minhas, who is leading the investigation, said: “I am very keen to hear from anyone who saw Ion in the 48 hours before he died.

“We think that Ion may have been homeless, and potentially vulnerable. We think he was a familiar face in the area, and may have engaged with local people.

“Did you know Ion? Did you see him recently, either on his own or in the company of someone else? If you spoke to him, was he worried or upset about anything?

“We are working to build a picture of Ion’s life and we need the public to help us. If you have information that you want to share, no matter how insignificant it might seem, please get in touch.”

There have been no arrests at this stage. 

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Police were called at 09:24hrs on Thursday, 1 June to the car park of Efra Court (sic), Homelands Drive, SE19 where a member of the public had found 46-year-old Ion Radu unresponsive.

“Officers attended and Ion, a Romanian national, was sadly confirmed as deceased at the scene.

“Enquiries are ongoing to trace any living relatives. A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as a stab wound to the liver.” 

Those with information are asked to call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting 1924/01JUNE.

To remain 100% anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

DON’T MISS A THING

Get the latest news for South London direct to your inbox once a week.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Share this article

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *