Unsolved Murders in London: 2015

These seven cases of murder in London in 2015 remain unsolved*. Can you help?

Redwan El-Ghaidouni, 38, was shot dead in a suspected ‘hit’ outside his home in Vine, Lane Uxbridge on 3 February 2015.

The father-of-three was sat in his Audi A3 on the driveway when he was approached by a lone gunman who fired eight shots through the car window shortly before 7pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8pm.

Police described the killer as a man in a dark hooded top with a large motif on the front, light bottoms, dark gloves and dark shoes. DCI Noel McHugh said: “We have released CCTV footage of the man we believe murdered Redwan making off after the shooting and also visiting the area before the incident. He had been seen in Saunders Road, which is next to Vine Lane, numerous times in the days before the murder – we believe these were failed attempts by the suspect to get an opportunity to shoot Redwan.”

CCTV of suspect after murder

Police said Redwan had a criminal past and was previously linked to drug importation. He had been released from prison almost seven months before his death and was working full-time at a car dealership.

I was expecting my beloved Redwan to return home from work to look after our three children. As he arrived home he was executed and he never stood a chance. Our three young children will now grow up without their loving father. His mother, father and siblings are left without a son and brother. We would like to appeal to the public to assist the police with any information they can provide. We are left numb with pain and he will be greatly missed.’

Mr El-Ghaidouni’s partner Samantha Taitt

Call the incident room on 020 8785 8099.


Terry Isaacs, 56, died in hospital from multiple head injuries five days after he was found injured in Bannister Close, Tulse Hill, at 7.44am on 19 February 2015.

He was last seen in Christchurch Road at 12.51am, when it is believed he was heading home to Brixton. Police appealed for information about a missing blue bag, a wallet, a metal tobacco tin, an Alcatel mobile phone and a Samsung mobile phone. Contact the incident room on 020 8721 4054.


Ola Raji, a 21-year-old student, was shot and stabbed as he cycled home in Peckham, south London, on 21 April 2015.

He had spent that evening at a friend’s house watching the Champions League football match between Bayern Munich and Porto.

Ola was cycling through the East Surrey Grove estate near Commercial Way when he was attacked by two men at around 10.30pm.

Ola Raji

In the early stages of the investigation the Metropolitan Police appealed for information about two suspects seen running into Sumner Road. It is thought they turned into Rosemary Road and headed in the direction of the Surrey Canal Path.

Three people were arrested on suspicion of murder but nobody was ever charged.

When we get together, there is always that sense of something missing. There are children who never get to know their Uncle, who would still be so young even now. The laughter we share is that little less loud. There is a smile absent in the photographs.

But this is not just about our family. It’s about safety on the streets of Peckham and the wider south London area. There is no doubt the people who did this once could carry out similar attacks again. Maybe they already have.

We are getting closer to the truth – for example, we now know about phone calls Ola received shortly before the attack. Just the smallest piece of evidence from any witnesses or those with knowledge of what happened could be enough to put those responsible behind bars and make the streets safer for the entire community.

Ola’s sisters Zainab Raji and Ruki Ware, speaking in 2025

In April 2025 the independent Crimestoppers charity offered £20,000 for the identification and prosecution of those responsible for the murder. To claim the reward call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Detectives appealed for help tracing potential witnesses including a woman driving a black Vauxhall Corsa in the area between 9.45pm and 11pm and two men who were seen returning to an address in Pear Court at 11.10pm.

DCI Alex Gammampila, leading the investigation, said: “Ola was an innocent man, in the wrong place at the worst time. His murder has devastated his friends and family, and those in the local community.

“We continue to appeal for anyone who has any information to come forward. Were you out in Peckham that night? Were you also watching the football that night, or were you near Commercial Way? Did you see or hear the shooting or anything that struck you as being unusual?

“No piece of information is too small, and could be the final piece of the puzzle that leads us to identify Ola’s attackers.”

To provide information to the police call 101 or message @MetCC on X, giving the reference 2597/16APR25. Photos or videos can be uploaded to the dedicated appeal page.


Lukey Maxwell, 22, was stabbed in the back in Northumberland Park, Tottenham, on 5 June 2015. Police charged Arthur Gorol, 36, with murder but the case was discontinued due to insufficient evidence on 17 August 2015. Contact the incident room on 020 8358 0200.


Erdogan Guzel, 42, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Lordship Lane, Wood Green, on 10 July 2015. Police said he was an innocent father-of-two who happened to be standing outside the bakery his family owned when shots were fired from the rear passenger window of a black Honda Civic. A woman was also injured.

CCTV of gunman’s car before drive-by shooting

My brother’s children have had to endure the pain of losing him, during what should by rights have been carefree years. The loss of their father, who was taken from them in such a cruel way, has caused serious, emotional trauma. Although I have done my best to support them in coming to terms with this, nothing can make up for what happened that day in 2015. Erdogan was a key figure in the family bakery business and as such, the family has struggled to operate effectively without him – this has resulted in heavy debt and very sadly, his children have lost their family home in Tottenham. I would like to appeal directly to anyone who has even the smallest piece of information which could assist police, whether this is about his killers or something else which you haven’t yet shared with the investigation team.

Erdogan’s brother Yunus Guzel

Contact the incident room on 020 8345 1570.


Marvin Couson, 39, died 13 years after being shot outside a bar in Curtain Road, Shoreditch.

In the early hours of 12 May 2002 Marvin, who was then aged 26 and living in West Norwood while working fitting security systems for retailers, was enjoying a night out at the Lime in London Bar (now known as the Queen of Hoxton) with his cousin and a friend.

At around 3.40am, when there were around 200 people inside the bar, a dispute broke out between one of the promoters of the ‘Ouch’ garage and hip-hop event and group of between 10 and 15 black men.

Another man approached the group, lifted his arm and fired a small handgun. A large crowd of people, including Marvin and his friend, left the bar and moved into Curtain Road and Worship Street.

Outside the bar, Marvin’s friend was hit by a T-reg red or burgundy Ford Fiesta driving fast along Curtain Road. He grappled with the front seat passenger before a gun was fired. When he walked back towards the bar he saw Marvin lying on the ground with a bullet wound to the chest.

After surgery to repair the damage to his heart and other internal organs, he was transferred to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability in Putney. He was unable to care for himself or leave his hospital bed. He could not communicate and had no capacity to understand anything said to him.

Marvin Couson in 2009

Marvin died in hospital on 8 August 2015 from a brain injury he suffered as a result of being shot.

Police believe that he was the innocent victim of a dispute between organised criminal gangs from London and Birmingham. Marvin himself was not involved in gangs or criminality.

No one has ever been charged with the murder.

During a renewed appeal in 2022, DCI Geoff Grogan said: “It is impossible to imagine the pain and suffering Marvin’s family have gone through, enduring years of heartache, visiting his hospital bedside every day for 13 years while he lay there before finally succumbing to his injuries.

“We need your help to end this and help them see justice. Where you there that night? Were you one of those in the car with the man who fatally shot Marvin? Maybe you are scared as you feel embroiled in his actions but there was only one person who pulled that trigger and that is the person we need to find. Loyalties and allegiances change over time.

“Do you have any other information, no matter how small? Was there chat at the time, or since? It’s a long time ago but you would know if you were there and you were know if you were keeping information to yourself that could help our investigation and Marvin’s family. Put yourself in their shoes and do the right thing.”

For 13 years Marvin was imprisoned and we visited him every day in hospital. To whoever killed Marvin, my little boy, you tried to kill our family. No-one should suffer like this. I would like those young boys who take guns and knives to look at the consequences of their actions. There are real people behind your cowardly actions.

Marvin’s mother Emily, speaking in 2016

Marvin wasn’t involved in crime, he loved life and his family, he had the best years of his life ahead of him. His two children are now grown up and have been robbed of the precious memories they should have had with their father. We cannot move on and we cannot give up our fight for justice. I’m asking kindly for anyone with information to think of what we have endured and please please come forward to police or anonymously to Crimestoppers with anything you know.

Marvin’s sister Margaret, speaking in 2022

Contact the police on 020 8785 8099 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


Tadas Jarusevicius, 29, was found beaten to death under a flyover near Plumstead Railway Station at around 2pm on 23 September 2015. The Lithuanian national had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and neck. It is believed he had been living under the bridge with a group of other homeless men. Contact the incident room on 020 8721 4205.


*Unsolved as in no suspects are awaiting trial for murder or manslaughter, or have been convicted.

Police refuse to release list of murder victims

The Metropolitan Police is now refusing to release full lists of murder victims under the Freedom of Information Act – making it more difficult to check their figures.

Previously requests along these lines have been successful, such as the data featured in the Guardian article ‘Five years of London murders listed‘ and on our blog The Met’s Five Year List of Murders.

Most murders are publicised in one way or the other, whether through media reports, police appeals or court cases. But often our figures do not match up to those provided by the police. So when we attempted to get a list of homicide victims for the years 2012, 2013, 2014 in an attempt to check whether we had missed any cases, our request was refused. Instead we were allowed only total figures:

2012 – 106
2013 – 109
2014 – 92

We also asked for a breakdown by nationality, but the Met were not prepared to give figures for any nationality where the number was less than 5. As a result, the statistics for the three years in total read:

UK 106
Poland 12
Lithuania 5
Somalia 5

The nationalities with less than five victims are: US, Cyprus, Russia, Spain, Nigeria, Latvia, Turkey, Jamaica, China, Australia, Pakistan, Ghana, Albania, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Kosovo, Rwanda, Hungary, India, Portugal, Italy, Bangladesh, Kenya, Algeria, Iran, Fiji, Ireland, South Africa, Bulgaria, Columbia, Vietnam.

When we asked for a review of the decision, on the basis that similar requests had been granted, we were told: ‘Every FoIA request received by the MPS is considered on a case-by-case basis and no precedent is set by previous non-disclosures or disclosures as in this case, where a public authority may have previously released similar information in the past.’

The reasons for giving only a partial disclosure are that:

  1. Disclosure of information contained within the requested information… would have a negative effect on the relationship between the police and victims or witnesses of incidents who would expect that information provided to the police would be held in confidence and that publication of information by way of a freedom of information request would damage this trust, potentially impacting on the flow of information into the MPS
  2. To disclose any additional information may harm the MPS in its ability in the prevention and detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders
  3. Disclosure of the names of the victims, would be likely to cause distress to their families, as there would be no reasonable expectation that the MPS would release this information without the consent of the family.

We understand and accept the third objection, but continue to believe that the public interest is in the identity of all homicide victims being in the public domain rather than kept secret for whatever reason.

‘It is like the justice system has given up’

Sometimes the justice system fails the family of murder victims.

Five years ago Nattallie Correa, 27, was found battered to death after a fire at her flat in Dagenham. Her boyfriend, who escaped the blaze with her two youngest children, was charged but acquitted after a retrial at the Old Bailey.

Nattallie’s family are now left in limbo.

As her sister Mellissa says in a letter to murdermap:

The worst thing is the murderer is walking free right now due to the justice system. It is a disgrace and the pain my family are still going through is never going to leave us, because it is like the justice system has given up on the whole case, when really someone from outside the case should look over everything properly because my sister is too special to get forgotten about.

My sister’s case is listed as unsolved. So what does that mean that she murdered herself and set herself on fire? Please if anything at all could be re-looked in to or could be done please we will be so grateful or please let me know if I could do anything by myself to get my sister’s case open again. I need help I can’t forget what has happened and I will never give up on my sister’s memory.

Mellissa still remembers the day that she was told about her sister’s death.

On the 19th November 2009 at 4am in the morning I got a knock on my address, I answered the door it was a police constable standing there he asked if I was Mellissa Correa and could he come in I said yes his first words was could I sit down I went no tell me what’s wrong please, he’ said I’m so sorry there has been a fire at your sister’s address and the children and the male are out safe but I’m sorry your sister was inside and has been pronounced dead, my heart felt like it crushed I fell to the floor and lost my breath crying, the first words I cried out to the officer was no it isn’t true my sister has never smoked or had candles lit at night, never, I said there’s something seriously
wrong here I tell you. That afternoon the police came and informed us that my sister was murdered the family were distraught even more.

Mellissa also accuses the police for a ‘lack of effort and commitment’ during their investigation. She adds:

Hopefully my sister’s case will get looked at carefully and thoroughly like it should have been in the first place.

Anyone with new information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Is the murder rate rising again?

An article in The Times newspaper last week  (Three deaths in a weekend sends murder rate soaring) highlighted the increase in London homicides so far this year.

In January and February 2015 we counted 26 homicides compared to 12 across January and February 2015.

So does this suggest a new trend or is it just an unusual spike?

A look at the Metropolitan Police’s rolling 12 month homicide figures suggests the last two years (up to January 2015) both saw 104 homicides, suggesting this is just a spike after a very quiet summer and autumn of 2014.

It should also be noted that we counted 12 homicides in March 2014 (equal to both January and February 2014 combined). As of today (14 March 2015) we only know of two homicides this month.

We will keep an eye on the statistics over the coming months and return to this subject in a later blog.

UPDATE on 4 April: We counted six homicides in March 2015, bringing the total to 32 this year, compared to 24 over the first three months of 2014.

Detected and Undetected Homicides 2003-2013

Last month the Metropolitan Police released data on the number of homicides between 2003 and 2013 under the Freedom of Information Act.

The data also reveals the number of homicides classed as ‘detected’ and ‘undetected’.

Sanction Detections refer to ‘police generated detections’ where the accused receives a punishment or sanction (charge, caution, summons) from the police.

Non-Sanction detections (Other) are used for cases resolved through administrative means, such as when the accused dies or the CPS decide not to prosecute.

The percentage of undetected homicides during this period range between six per cent (2009 and 2011) to 14 per cent (2007).

YearOffencesSanctionOtherUndetected 
2003216181926
2004188171314
20051811432018
2006172147322
2007163134623
2008155140114
200913012028
2010125111113
201111810927
201210694210
201310889415

Other Freedom of Information releases include:

The number of homophobic and transgender hate homicides between financial years 2007/8 and 2012/13 (four homophobic and one transgender hate)

The nationalities of murder victims in 2013 (28 UK Nationals, 29 Overseas Nationals, 37 not recorded).