Less than 36 hours prior to her murder, the heartbroken closest friend of a “angel” law graduate who was attacked and beaten to death in a “opportunist stranger attack” disclosed their last messages.
After a night out with friends in central London in the early hours of Sunday, Zara Aleena, 35, was attacked and pursued down the street as she made her way to her mother’s home in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, where she later passed away from serious head injuries.
Her death devastated her family, and it spurred a manhunt that culminated yesterday afternoon with the capture of a local man, 29, on suspicion of her murder. He’s still being held today.
Her close friend Lisa Hodgson has disclosed that they had planned to meet this weekend but changed their plans to the next weekend. Miss your gorgeous face this weekend xx can’t wait to see you next weekend xxx, Zara had texted on Friday.
Today, Lisa declared, “I am totally broken.” Zara Aleena, my best friend of the previous 17 years, was killed by a total stranger. I’m stunned. I’m enraged. I have an unpleasant stomachache. Most weekends were spent together. We were supposed to meet this weekend, but I had to cancel, so we made plans to meet the next weekend. Wish we could have met this weekend. She was assassinated while returning home.
She expressed her sorrow about never seeing or hearing from daughter in a moving Facebook post, adding: “To the man who murdered Zara may he get tormented in prison.” I want to ask him why, staring him in the face. For Zara Aleena, justice. When will our city’s streets be secure? There is a need for action! There must be action taken. You may now rest in peace, sweet angel.
As police interrogate a 29-year-old man neighbors allege was recorded on CCTV committing the crime, the tragedy is already being linked to the killings of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.
Police were handed CCTV of the attack by a resident who lived across the street. He told The Times: ‘The guy came from the back, he was following her. It happened on the main road. He punched her a few times.’ Investigators believe the perpetrator did not use any weapons, just his fists.
Flowers and cards have been left at the scene today. One tribute said: “Best friend I could ever have asked for ..” xxxx. I am going to miss everything about you, your smile, the way you bite your bottom lip when you were thinking, our nights out… eating burgers on a step, laughing about anything and everything.”
Another wrote: ‘I love you to the moon and back’.
The unprovoked assault on Miss Aleena is already being contrasted with the killings of marketing manager Sarah Everard, 33, and teacher Sabina Nessa, 28, both of whom were assaulted while walking alone in London. They were both victims of opportunistic murderers who picked them at random.
Nadia, a 42-year-old schoolteacher and Miss Aleena’s friend, said: “Nothing like that has ever occurred here. She just decided to go home because it was near by.”
‘She wanted to borrow some heels and some mascara from me that night, but I couldn’t answer my phone as I was busy. She was a gentle soul, she wouldn’t hurt a fly. She just passed her law degree and was working in central London. She wanted to become a lawyer so she could provide for herself and her family’.
Detectives were last night questioning a 29-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering the University of Westminster graduate.
Miss Aleena’s cousin described her as a ‘bubbly, high-empathy person’ and said the family were devastated.
Friends recalled her excitement as she asked to borrow high heels and mascara for a night out that ended in tragedy.
Miss Aleena had been working at the Royal Courts of Justice as an administration officer while she sought a trainee solicitor role that would allow her to embark on a legal career, said her cousin, who asked not to be named.
‘She was a lovely person,’ he added. ‘It’s such a shock for the family. She wanted to become a lawyer, to make a success of herself so she could support the family.
‘She was always bubbly, brought life to the room, a warm, high-empathy person. She looked after her mum and her gran and was a very family-oriented person.’
Scotland Yard said Miss Aleena was found badly beaten at about 2.44am not far from her home in Ilford, north-east London. Paramedics took her to hospital but she died of her injuries shortly afterwards.
People living nearby said there was a helicopter hovering over the area from 3am as police hunted for Miss Aleena’s killer.
Mustafa Meric, 56, said his son’s friend lived opposite and his CCTV had captured footage – which he had passed to the police – of the attack.
‘It is not the safest of areas,’ he added. ‘I fear for my wife and kids. I’ve told them to stop [going out late] for now.’
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, of Scotland Yard, said ‘it is now believed that she was the victim of an opportunist stranger attack’ and there was no evidence that weapons had been used.
‘Tackling violence against women and girls is an absolute priority for the Met. Every day our officers are working with partners across the capital to improve safety in our public spaces,’ he added.
‘Women should not have to change their behaviour and should be able to go about their business, feeling safe, any time of day or night. It’s our job to ensure that happens – but officers cannot be in all places at all times. I would urge our community, especially women, to report any suspicious or unwanted behaviour and seek help if you feel threatened.’
Miss Aleena’s LinkedIn page says she graduated with a law degree from the University of Westminster in October last year.
She had been working at the Royal Courts of Justice since May but was seeking a paralegal or trainee solicitor position.
The Labour MP for Ilford South, Sam Tarry, said: ‘It looks like, on the face of it, a random attack. This is something out of the ordinary. The Met and local authority are moving heaven and earth to ensure people’s safety and put the perpetrator behind bars.
‘We will do everything to remember this woman who lost her life in the most horrendous way.’
He added: ‘We want our community to be free of fear and go about their daily business.
‘People do need to be reassured – there will be a flood of police on the streets. I don’t think people should be bowed or cowed into fear, but of course people are going to be scared.
‘I would say to people, check your cameras, your dashcams, any small clue could help.’
Rafia Ahmed, who lives nearby, said she and her friends will now only walk in groups at night.
‘Because it’s literally on our doorstep it scares you. As a female you think twice about going out by yourself’, she told the BBC.
Shopkeeper Kuldip Singh said he was concerned by the level of violence in the area.
He said: ‘This one was quite brutal. It was a young lady but people don’t really feel safe in this location as much as they used to.
‘If I was an elderly person or a female, especially in the winter months, walking through this road you could be at risk.’
Subhash, 60, who lives just off Cranbrook Road, said he ‘worries’ for other local women. He said: ‘It’s not just my daughter, it’s other daughters, other girls, other women in the area. It’s quite a serious matter, how safe are you in your own area.’