The body found in a pond in Epping Forest is that of missing student Richard Okorogheye, it has been confirmed.
Specialist divers found the body on Monday (April 5) after days of looking out Epping Forest, the place Richard was final sighted in a close-by residential road in the early hours of Tuesday, March 23.
In a press release launched on Wednesday (April 7), the Metropolitan Police confirmed the body has been formally recognized as Richard.
The affirmation is the worst attainable information for Richard’s household and buddies who had been desperately hoping he was nonetheless alive and interesting for him to return dwelling.
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Metropolitan Police officers on the scene on the Wake Valley pond in Epping Forest following the invention of a person’s body
(Image: Ian West/PA Wire)
Detective Superintendent Danny Gosling, Head of the Met’s Central West Public Protection Unit, stated, “My deepest sympathies exit to Richard’s household at this extremely troublesome time.
“This was not the end result that any of us had hoped for and we are going to be sure that his grieving household are well-supported by specifically educated officers.
“I wish to lengthen my because of the numerous officers, employees and members of the general public who’ve every performed an element in the intensive effort to find Richard.”
The investigation into the circumstances of Richard’s dying is ongoing.
Specialist search groups stay in elements of Epping Forest, Loughton as they proceed to hold out additional searches as a part of the investigation.
The 19-year-old student was final seen by his mum on Monday, March 22 after he instructed her he was going to go to a good friend.
After Richard did not return dwelling on Monday night, Richard’s mum, Evidence Joel, employed a locksmith to open his door revealing he was not there.
Richard was reported missing on Wednesday, March 24.
The first yr student at Oxford Brookes University instructed his mum he had been struggling along with his Business and IT diploma after shielding since March 2020 as a result of his sickle cell anaemia.
Police started looking out Essex on March 31 after CCTV footage confirmed a sighting of Richard on a residential road in Loughton not removed from Epping Forest.
Police deployed canine and horses to assist with the search with specialist police divers looking out Epping Forest pond on Good Friday (April 2) searching for the college student.
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Ms Joel beforehand stated she has “no concept” why her son could be in Essex as he would not have any buddies or household in that space, nor did she assume he had visited there earlier than.
She beforehand instructed My London that the Easter weekend had been a horrible ordeal for the household.
“This weekend has been an entire nightmare, [I’m] overwhelmed and saddened,” she stated.
Earlier on Wednesday, Richard’s finest good friend Hala Mohamed, 18, instructed My London: “I cant sleep, I am unable to eat. He was every part to me, it is a shock to the system, I do not assume I’ve processed every part.”
Richard has been missing since March 22
(Image: Evidence Joel)
Hala, who has recognized Richard all her life, added: “He’s humorous, energetic, all the time joking round, enjoying round.
“He all the time pushes you to be your finest model of your self and would not need you to settle. He pushed me to begin my clothes line.”
Richard’s household have criticised police in the course of the investigation and claimed that officers have been initially unwilling to behave.
Ms Joel stated that police had instructed her, “If you’ll be able to’t discover your son, how do you count on law enforcement officials to search out your son for you?”
The Met Police stated detectives had been “working tirelessly to find Richard, utilizing all investigative alternatives and information enquires, talking with witnesses and trawling CCTV”.
