Neighbours have paid tribute to a ‘kind and lovely’ man who was found dead at his west London home as detectives continued to question a suspect on suspicion of murder.
Police were called to a flat in Samara Drive, Southall on Wednesday after neighbours raised the alarm.
A man in his sixties was found dead at the address, triggering a murder inquiry.
They have arrested a man, 54, on suspicion of murder and preventing the lawful burial of a body.
A father of two, 43, who lives in the same block, told Metro: ‘I am in complete shock. He was a lovely man. I have a disabled son and he often helped me to get my disabled son on the special bus that takes him to school.
‘It was so kind of him as he himself walked with a stick. He was always smiling, joking and was very well liked. We just don’t know how or why this happened. As far as I know he had lived alone in the flat for around three years. He was never any trouble far from it. It was a pleasure to have him as a neighbour.’
He added: ‘It’s so nice around here I’m just very confused over this devastating news.’
A mother of two from the block told Metro: ‘We are very fearful. He was a nice man we cannot imagine anyone would want to do him harm. The police have told us nothing. Loads of them arrived and then forensics. We have never had this here it’s a new development and very safe at least we thought. We even have a private security firm patrolling.’
The flat is in the Green Quarter – a project described by Berkeley Homes as ‘one of West London’s most exciting canalside destinations.’
It is 88 acres and one of London’s largest recent regeneration projects.
Kelly Barnes, 28, who works in publishing, said she had recently moved to the private estate because of its reputation as a safe area with good transport links.
The mother of one told Metro: ‘We haven’t been here long but we have been very impressed. It seems so safe relative to some areas. To see police cars everywhere and to find out there’s been a killing is utterly shocking.’
One neighbour described how he had, three weeks ago, reported ‘a horrible smell’ coming from the flat.
The neighbour said the dead man as ‘a gentle, grandfather figure’ much loved in the block.
The father of two told Metro: ‘About three weeks ago I smelled a horrible smell around the flat. I reported it and the fire brigade were sent here. After looking around they said the smell was coming from the bins and it was left at that.
‘But it got worse and worse and the lady who cleans in the block asked me about it. She then time the housing management, the police came and they found my neighbour’s body.
‘The smell had gotten so bad we had to cover our faces it was so bad, horrible for my kids.’
He added: ‘I hadn’t seen my neighbour for a while but I just thought he had gone away.
‘He was a lovely guy, like a grandfather figure. He was well liked by everyone. Just a nice man. To think of him laying dead is heartbreaking.’
Detectives are in the block gathering evidence alongside forensics specialists.
They have carried out door to door inquiries and are collecting CCTV footage from around the estate which is monitored by a private security company.
The block is a crime scene with only residents permitted in and out.’
A Metropolitan Police statement said: ‘Police were called by the London Ambulance Service following concerns for the welfare of a man at 10:56hrs on Wednesday, 23 April in Samara Drive.
‘Sadly, a man, believed to be in his 60s, was found dead at the address.
‘An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of his death, which at this time is being treated as suspicious.’
Detective chief inspector Brian Howie, said: ‘We are in the very early stages of our investigation and my team of experienced detectives and forensic specialists are working at pace to establish the circumstances of this death.
‘I can understand that this may be concerning for the community in Southall, who can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as we begin our investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call police on 101 providing the reference CAD2369/23APR.
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