Search for missing Sarah Everard becomes murder investigation
The search for Sarah Everard, who went missing from South London last Wednesday, has become a murder investigation, after a Metropolitan Police officer was arrested over her disappearance.
Everard was last seen at 9:30pm on Wednesday 3 March, when she walked home from a friend’s house in Clapham, South London.
A policeman and a woman were arrested in Kent yesterday. Searches are being carried out in London and Kent, including in a building in Deal and an area of woodland near Ashford.
In a statement this afternoon the Metropolitan Police said the officer had initially been arrested on suspicion of kidnap, but was now arrested on suspicion of murder.
He was also under suspicion of a separate allegation of indecent exposure, the Met added.
The woman also arrested remains in custody.
The arrested officer is a serving Metropolitan Police officer in the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command. His primary role was uniformed patrol duties of diplomatic premises.
Earlier today assistant commissioner Nick Ephgrave called the arrest “shocking and deeply disturbing”, describing it as a significant development.
He said the officer was not on duty at the time of Everard’s disappearance and he could not give details on whether the pair knew each other.
Following the arrest of the police officer, the Metropolitan Police has made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.