Police have released a CCTV image of a 45-year-old British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage who is wanted in connection with the suspected murders of a woman and...
Police have released a CCTV image of a 45-year-old British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage who is wanted in connection with the suspected murders of a woman and two children in Bedford. Investigators believe the man travelled from the United Kingdom to Zimbabwe through Heathrow Airport on Saturday, July 4, before the bodies were discovered.
The suspect has been identified as Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, who is also known as Mark. Police said he is from Bedford and is believed to have left the country using a British passport. Officers now believe he is in Zimbabwe and are working with national and international authorities to locate him.
The investigation began on Tuesday, July 7, when officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit launched a murder inquiry after three bodies were found at a property in Great Denham, Bedford.
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Although formal identification has not yet been completed, police believe the victims are Tshuma’s wife, Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, who was known as Zandile, and the couple’s two daughters, Natalie, 15, and Nala, 5.
Detective Inspector Lee Martin, the senior investigating officer leading the inquiry, said detectives had been pursuing several lines of investigation since the bodies were discovered. He confirmed that police believe Tshuma left the United Kingdom before the deaths were reported and is now believed to be in Zimbabwe.
“We have been carrying out numerous lines of enquiry as part of this fast-paced, complex investigation. We know that Mark Tshuma left the country on Saturday and is now believed to be in Zimbabwe,” Martin said.
The detective appealed directly to Tshuma to surrender to authorities. “We are urgently working to find and apprehend him, and would appeal to him directly to hand himself in,” he said. Martin added that the investigation involves cooperation with both national and international agencies, saying, “Criminal investigation knows no borders. We are actively working with national and international agencies to pursue every available line of enquiry to track you down.”
He also urged the suspect to cooperate with law enforcement. “Please do the right thing, come forward and hand yourself in to local authorities,” Martin said. He added that investigators’ thoughts remain with the victims and their loved ones during what he described as an extremely difficult time.
Police are also appealing to members of the public for information that could assist the investigation. Officers have asked anyone who may know Tshuma’s whereabouts or who witnessed anything unusual or suspicious in the days leading up to Saturday, July 4, to come forward.
Investigators said even the smallest piece of information could prove important as enquiries continue. Information can be submitted through the Major Incident Public Portal or by contacting police through the 101 non-emergency number. Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing.
