THE one-year anniversary of the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera is approaching and the killer has not been caught.

The brutal killing of the 32-year-old, who was strangled in a children's playground in Queen's Road, Walthamstow, on May 30 last year, shocked the community and triggered one of the biggest murder hunts since Sally-Ann Bowman was killed in south London in 2005.

But despite detectives successfully linking the suspect by DNA evidence to two other violent rapes in Queen's Road and Markhouse Road last year, the investigation is on-going and no one has been charged.

One of Michelle's three sisters, Ann Chandradasa, 38, said: “Every day is difficult for me. It is not just birthdays and anniversaries, it is every day. The grief doesn't get any less and I don't think it will.

"The whole family is the same. We talk about her as much as possible.”

The mum-of-two said they will be marking the anniversary on May 30 by going to the park where her sister died.

She said she has not had any recent updates from the Met Police but is confident in their investigation.

Last month, a DNA sweep being carried in the Markhouse Road area was suspended while officers pursue “a specific line of inquiry”.

A total of 1100 voluntary samples were taken from men matching the description of the killer. None of these have been linked to the suspect.

A police spokeswoman said officers were not ruling out the possibility the suspect could have left the area.

The mum of Michelle Samaraweera's boyfriend, 30-year-old Greg Dale, of Lennox Road, Walthamstow, said she feels Ms Samaraweera has been forgotten.

Janice Dale, 57, said: “I'm shocked no one has been caught. I'm really shocked. It seems like everyone has forgotten about it. It's very upsetting.

“I have been putting leaflets through doors to try to remind people.”

The mum has arranged for a bench to be put in the Queen's Road park with a plaque saying, “In memory of Michelle Samaraweera. An angel on earth, now an angel in heaven. God bless.”

The suspect is described as being of Asian appearance, or with dark skin, and is aged between 30 and 45 years.

He has been linked by DNA evidence to the rape of a 59-year-old woman in her home, in Queens Road, on March 24 last year, and the rape of a 46-year-old woman in an alleyway near St James Street train station on April 22 last year.

Police are also considering a possible link to other incidents, including the sexual assault of a 32-year-old woman in the grounds of St Saviour's Church, in Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, on April 29 last year.

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