Muller police take 1,600 statements

The massive scale of the police operation to track down the killer of artist Margaret Muller was revealed today at an inquest into her death.

A detective involved in the ongoing inquiry said, so far, police had taken more than 1,600 witness statements and carried out 1,700 house-to-house inquiries in the hunt for the killer.

Detective Inspector Paul Brown said more than 1,000 questionnaires had been sent to people living near Victoria Park in Hackney where the 27-year-old was stabbed to death on 3 February last year.

Mr Brown told Poplar coroner's court that Ms Muller was last seen on Saturday 1 February out drinking with friends in Camden before she was found dead near the rose garden in the park at about 8.30am two days later.

He told coroner Dr Andrew Scott Reid that a witness spotted her lying on the floor and gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before a second witness walking a dog came along to help.

Mr Brown told the court: "We have taken 1,685 statements from witnesses, interviewed occupants of 1,785 premises, and sent out 1,120 questionnaires to people in the park and nearby."

Miss Muller, a student at the Slade School of Fine Art, had been on one of her regular jogs through the park when she was stabbed to death by a stranger in what police believe was a random attack.

So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the murder but all have been released without charge.

Detectives have been frustrated because of a lack of forensic evidence and the apparent reluctance of some witnesses to come forward.

Following an anniversary appeal about the murder last month 14 new witnesses came forward, but police believe there are others who have still not contacted them.

A white man wearing an orange jogging top seen running close to Ms Muller has yet to be traced.

Dr Scott Reid returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

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