A young woman stabbed to death at a party near Hyde Park may have been known her murderer who remains at large, police revealed.
Kamonnan Thiamphanit, 27, was found by officers at the £4million Grade II listed property on Stanhope Place, Bayswater around 8.30am on Monday.
Neighbours heard sounds of a loud gathering on Saturday night at the home being rented out as an Airbnb holiday let, followed by two high-pitched screams the following day.
Commander Owain Richards confirmed there had been no signs of forced entry to the three-storey, five-bedroom terraced house.
The Metropolitan Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog over initial contact with a friend who called them twice, at 7.05pm and 9.34pm, on Sunday because Ms Thiamphanit hadn’t been in touch for some time.
The victim was initially graded as a medium-risk missing person prior to officers forcing entry and finding her body with stab injuries.
Ms Thiamphanit, also known as Angela, had Chinese, Hong Kong and Thai nationality. She was working in London.
Cmdr Richards added: “We believe the suspect was known to the victim in this case and our homicide detectives are working around the clock to pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry to trace the suspect, arrest them and bring them to justice.
“We’re trying to piece together her background and lifestyle to help us understand the motive and bring the suspect to justice.”
Ms Thiamphanit’s devastated family are overseas and coming to terms with “unimaginable” loss, he said.
On Friday, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs told local media in Bangkok its London embassy had contacted her relatives.
Cmdr Richards said he completely understands the “shock and concern” after three other women were separately killed across the capital in just three weeks.
On March 20, Goldsmiths College student Zhe Wang, 31, was fatally stabbed in Hither Green, Lewisham. The dismembered torso of Sarah Mayhew, 38, was dumped in a Croydon park on April 2. Kennedi Westcarr-Sabaroche, 25, was discovered dead in a Vauxhall car in Hackney on Saturday.
An IOPC spokesman said it had referred back Ms Thiamphanit’s case so the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards can investigate whether there were any missed opportunities to find her sooner and potentially prevent the murder.
He added: “However, we noted that the timing of her death is unclear at this stage so there may be a possibility that she was already deceased prior to the police being contacted.”
