London murders 2019: Four murder probes launched in 24 hours as teenager becomes 25th person killed

Scotland Yard launched four murder investigations in the space of 24 hours as a teenager became the 25th person to be murdered on the streets of London this year.

In a barbaric week in the capital where the authorities were squeezed further to curb the knife crime epidemic, it emerged three of the four most recent victims had been stabbed.

The first murder probe was launched Wednesday afternoon when Spanish national David Martinez, 26, was stabbed to death in Leyton.

Hours later, a man who was stabbed on Sunday, March 3, in Soho, succumbed to his injuries and a second murder investigation was launched.

The third murder file was passed to CID on Thursday afternoon when the body of film producer Laureline Garcia-Bertaux was found in a shallow grave in a garden in Kew.

And the fourth murder investigation in 24 hours was launched when Ayub Hassan, 17,  was stabbed to death in broad daylight in West Kensington.

Spanish national stabbed to death in Leyton

David Martinez was stabbed to death in east London by someone police believe was known to him.

It is thought he was attacked at a home near North Birkbeck Road. He managed to stumble out into the street, where he collapsed.

London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance attended and reported finding a man suffering from knife injuries.

They tried for more than half an hour to save his life, but Mr Martinez died at the scene at 5.10pm

Scotland Yard do not believe the incident is gang-related.

Man dies three days after being stabbed in Soho

A man died  three fays after he was found with serious stab injuries in Soho over the weekend.

On Sunday, 3 March just after 6am hours police were called to Romily Street, W1.

Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and found the 37-year-old man suffering stab injuries. He was taken to hospital with critical injuries and he was pronounced dead at 7.42pm hours on Wednesday, 6 March.

His next of kin are aware and a post mortem examination is due to be held in due course.

A murder investigation was then launched by the Met Police and is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin.

A 34-year-old man was charged on Monday, 4 March with two counts of attempted murder, in relation to this incident along with another stabbing on the same day, of a teenager which occurred in University Street, WC1.

The charge for attempted murder willl be subject to a review by the CPS.

A 41-year-old woman who was arrested remains released under investigation.

Film producer's body found in shallow grave in Kew garden

A murder investigation has been launched after the body of a film producer who has worked with the likes of Joan Collins and Sheridan Smith was discovered in a shallow grave two days after she was reported missing.

Laureline Garcia-Bertaux, 34, from Richmond, was reported missing after she did not turn up for work on Monday.

But late on Wednesday night, officers located a body in a shallow grave in a garden in Darell Road, Kew.

French national Ms Garcia-Bertaux, from Richmond, was last seen on Saturday night at a supermarket in the area, but she was messaging friends on Sunday night when it is understood she was planning on going on a date with a "charismatic vet".

Producer Hester Ruoff, who worked with Ms Garcia-Bertaux on a number of projects including Gerry with Joan Collins, was among those to have talked to her close friend hours before she was reported missing.

She told The Telegraph: "I am just absolutely devastated.

"It's very, very rare in our industry that you find someone you trust in a way that I trusted her. She was just the most trustworthy woman with so much charisma, so much spirit.

"Laureline was incredibly loyal - she had my back 100%. She would give up her contacts for the benefit of the film, which is just so very, very rare in the industry.

"She became so much more than my line producer, she became a very close friend. She was just so spirited and very loyal and when you find someone like that you do everything you can not to let them go.

"My heart goes out to her mum who has had such a hard year losing her partner and a close friend."

Scotland Yard, who launched a murder investigation Thursday afternoon, have made no arrests.

Teenager stabbed in broad daylight in West Kensington

Police investigating a fatal stabbing in Fulham are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

Police were called at 2.14pm on Thursday to Lanfrey Place, West Kensington, to reports of a person stabbed.

Officers, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended the scene. A male, aged in his late teens, was found with stab injuries to the chest.

He was taken to a central London hospital where he sadly died a short time later. Next of kin have been informed.

Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command have been informed. On Friday morning, Scotland Yard announced they had arrested three males - aged 18, 17 and 15, on suspicion of murder.

Later on Friday, the victim was named as 17-year-old Ayub Hassan.