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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Anthony France

Bermondsey murders: Police to quiz suspect over ‘house of horror’ killings of four family members

Police were on Wednesday set begin quizzing a man suspected of killing his girlfriend and three members of her family days after he first met them.

Joshua Jacques, 28, was Tasered by officers who found Samantha Drummonds, 27, stabbed to death alongside her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and Mrs Hill’s husband Denton Burke, 58.

Jacques, 28, from Lewisham, who was arrested in hospital on suspicion of murder has been transferred to a police station for interview by detectives.

A friend of ex-bank worker Samantha told The Sun: “He only met the family for the first time on Thursday last week.

“They’d been friends for a long time but things changed and Samantha decided to introduce him.”

Dolet Hill and Samantha Drummonds (ES Composite)

Police were called to a disturbance at the family’s three-bedroom terraced home in Delaford Road, Bermondsey, south east London at 1.40am on Monday.

Armed officers smashed down the door of the “house of horrors”, arrested Jacques and discovered the bodies.

Samantha’s stepfather Danny Ofori-Akuffo, 62, said his wife Tanysha, also known as Rachquel, was there to care for Mrs Hill, a retired NHS worker, following surgery. Miss Drummonds brought Jacques to the family home to stay on Saturday.

Mr Ofori-Akuffo added to the Daily Mail: “I don’t know how I’ll live without them.

“One of the bodies was found lying just behind the front door - I don’t know who it was.

“Dolet locks the door before she goes to bed and takes the key up with her every night so the attacker was unable to escape the house.”

Tracey Henry, 47, Mrs Hill’s surviving daughter, added: “We are in pieces. We are too upset to say any more and we’re having a family meeting.”

Alastair Gourlay, director of estates and facilities at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, said Mrs Hill worked as a housekeeping assistant in the pharmacy department for more than 21 years until 2018.

He added: “Dolet was a well-respected colleague who also helped to improve the workplace for others as an active UNISON representative.

“Our thoughts are with Dolet’s family, friends and all who worked with her.”

Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who leads the investigation, said: “This was a truly horrific incident and I fully recognise that the distress for the family and the community will be overwhelming. We are conducting a thorough and detailed investigation into the facts and we are appealing to anyone who can assist with any information to come forward.”

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