New appeal to catch north London killer

Police are launching a new appeal for help catching a killer who's never been caught - despite leaving his DNA at the scene in north London 25 years ago.

Ricky Smith was stabbed by to death as he walked home through a park in Islington in 1997.

Detectives say the suspect may have fled the country immediately after the attack, and are asking for help in tracking him down.

Police also believe the same suspect is responsible for a similar attack which took place just hours earlier in west London.

Juan Marais, a South African national living in London, was leaving Kensal Green tube station when a man approached him and asked for the time. As Juan looked at his watch, the offender stabbed him twice in the chest and ran away. Juan spent 15 days in intensive care with serious injuries but later made a full recovery.

Detective Inspector Will Reynolds, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are confident that this DNA profile belongs to the man responsible for these attacks.

“Unfortunately there has been no match on our database or any international systems, meaning he does not appear to have come to police attention since the time of these offences.

“It is highly likely that the individual who committed these crimes was a violent man and it is extremely unusual that he does not appear to have re-offended. We therefore believe that after carrying out these horrific crimes, he disappeared, very likely leaving the UK and not returning.

“We are asking the public, especially those who are or were living in the area of Highbury or Kensal Green, to think about whether they knew of anyone who simply seemed to vanish in 1997. The suspect is a black male who would have been aged between 25 and 35 at the time of the incident.”

Following the murder, officers retrieved a number of items believed to have been worn by the attacker, including a blue baseball cap and a red and white jacket with a distinctive Chicago Bulls motif. Both were found discarded on nearby Conewood Street in two plastic bags.

The knife, used in both attacks, was also found in a back garden garden on the junction with Aubert Park and Aubert Road.

Ricky’s family said: “There isn’t a day that goes by when we don’t think of Ricky and the person he would have become.

“Ricky was just 25 years old when he was cruelly taken away and we have now had the same amount of time without him, so this is a particularly poignant anniversary.

“Since that day in 1997 our lives have had a huge void – we have had to live without our son, brother and two children have grown up without their father.

“Nothing will ever bring him back but we are desperate for answers and to find out who was responsible for turning our world upside down. Please, if you have any information that could help police, then get in touch.”

The Met is offering a substantial reward of up to £25,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person(s) responsible for the murder of Ricky Smith and the attempted murder of Juan Marais.

Anyone with information should call 020 8785 8267 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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