The grieving parents of two sisters found stabbed to death in a country park have told of their devastation in an emotional plea to help detectives to catch their killer.
Police have released the tragic final pictures of Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, having a good time as they listened to music and danced with fairy lights shortly before they were murdered.
The two women had stayed alone together in Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north-west London, in the early hours of June 6 after celebrating Bibaa’s birthday with a group of friends.
The last pictures were taken at 1.13am and just over an hour later, at 2.30am, calls to the victims – whose phones were later found in a pond – went unanswered.
Their bodies were found next to each other in a treeline more than 24 hours after being attacked by a stranger, according to police, who say a motive is still unknown.
Now, their parents have said the tragedy has had a “devastating impact on our lives and each day gets worse to think our daughters, Bibaa and Nicole, are not with us and that they have been brutally killed by someone”.
The sisters’ mother is Wilhelmina Smallman, 63, known as Mina, a former Church of England Archdeacon who retired last year.
In the statement released through police, the family said: “The greatest fear of any parent is that they will outlive their children.
“What makes our situation unique is that two adored sisters were murdered together on the same night.
“The grief we feel is palpable, our beautiful and talented daughters gone. Although there was a large age gap between them they shared a lot of the same interests. They were both very much interested in the arts.
“Bibaa a hardworking professional was an exceptional Senior Social Worker and a passionate advocate for safeguarding vulnerable children and families.”
Her father Herman was a former ABA featherweight boxing champion and businessman who set up a building contracting company.
The statement added: “”Bibaa loved her family and she was proud of her parents’ gifts and talents.
“As her mother, she admired my moving from office agency work to training to be a teacher and then to train later for the Priesthood.
“Bibaa was just barely five foot but she had the heart of a lion and a smile that would put Blackpool illuminations to shame.”
“Nicole being the youngest of three sisters was a joy from the moment she entered this world. Nicole saw beauty in everything; she had a very calm and positive attitude towards most things in life.
“She was a strong advocate for humanitarian causes and saving our planet.
“Her father Christopher and I would laugh together agreeing Nicole was a child of the 60s. She was an amazing photographer, actor and singer.
“Her speaking voice was silky smooth. Her voice teacher at school had said she should do radio or TV presenting.
“Friends and family all agree she was beautiful both inside and out. Nicole was incredibly laidback and very approachable.”
The parents said they will spend the rest of their lives struggling to cope with the tragedy.
They said: “Bibaa and Nicole were sisters whose untimely deaths we will spend the rest of our lives trying to come to terms with.
“The tributes for our girls keep flooding in; it has been comforting, heartbreaking and at times overwhelming. Faith and prayer is keeping us going. I’m not sure how we’d get through this without it. ‘The bond that links your true family is not one blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life’. Richard Bach.
“The pain we feel as a family is so deep no words can express how we are feeling. This has had a devastating impact on our lives and each day gets worse to think our daughters, Bibaa and Nicole, are not with us and that they have been brutally killed by someone.
“We are appealing to anyone who may have seen, heard, or know something to please contact the police who are investigating what has happened to our daughters, Bibaa and Nicole.”
Detectives have today released two photographs taken by the victims prior to the murders which they believe could assist with appeals.
Police suspect the attacker was a male and have received more than 100 calls from members of the public following multiple appeals for information.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, who is leading the investigation, said: “Extensive searches are ongoing at the scene and we are discovering more evidence all the time. Any motive for the murders remains unknown, and we are exploring all possibilities.
“The meticulous work carried out by our specialist search teams has led to the recovery of a number of items belonging to both Nicole and Bibaa.
“This includes both of their mobile phones, which were found in a pond some distance from where they were discovered.
“We already knew that Nicole and Bibaa had been alone in the park from about 12.30am on Saturday June 6.
“I can now confirm that the last contact they are believed to have had with family and friends was at 1.05am.
“They were in good spirits and taking selfie pictures, listening to music and dancing with fairy lights until at least 01.13am.
“Those lights created a distinctive pattern, as the two images we are releasing today show.
“This in itself may have been noticeable to local residents and other users of the park. Did you see the lights at the time and if so can you remember where you were and whether you saw anything suspicious? Calls to the victims at around 2.30am went unanswered.”
“We have seized a considerable amount of CCTV from around the perimeter of the park and in surrounding roads, however if you have CCTV or dash cam footage and live locally or were out in the area and have not been contacted I urge you to get in touch.”
Police said the suspect received a “significant injury or injuries” during the attack and have appealed to anyone who has noticed a loved one, neighbour, colleague, friend or acquaintance with a significant unexplained injury, to their hands in particular, to contact investigators.
Detectives believe the attacker left the park via the Valley Drive entrance, and say it’s possible members of the public may have stumbled upon items of property without realising the significance of them.
They are urging anyone who saw someone acting suspicious near that entrance or who came across items in the park to contact them.
DCI Harding added: “The victims were much loved sisters who were very close despite their age gap. They were surrounded by friends and family and it’s unimaginable what they are going through.
“For their sake and the sake of the wider community we need to identify and apprehend the suspect as soon as possible. And we need help from the public to do that.
“So please do contact us with any information you may have which could assist, no matter how small. Someone out there knows something. I would ask them to look into their conscience and question their protection of an individual who has robbed a family of two beloved women.”
Police said Nicole, Bibaa and others celebrated Bibaa’s birthday in the park from around 7.40pm on June 5, a Friday night.
People left throughout the night and by around 12.30am on June 6 only the sisters remained. Police believe they were killed within the next couple of hours.
Bibaa, from Brent, and Nicole, from Harrow, were reported missing to police late on June 6 after they failed to return home.
Police were called to Fryent Country Park at 1.08pm on June 7 to a report of two women found unresponsive.
Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene and the women were pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command (Homicide) are investigating, with the assistance of officers from the North West Command Unit.
North West Borough commander Roy Smith, said: “My thoughts are with the family who have lost two loved ones in the most tragic of circumstances.
“I know the experienced investigation team are working around the clock to identify whoever is responsible as swiftly as possible and ensure they are brought to justice. We will leave no stone unturned. Extra resources have been brought in to help from across the Met including additional detectives.
“I understand how alarmed and concerned residents will be about this incident given the circumstances.
“I want to reassure them that officers have been carrying out extra patrols in the area since Nicole and Bibaa were discovered and local residents can expect to see this continue over coming days, but of course it’s timely to remind people to be vigilant, particularly after dark in parks and opens areas and report anything suspicious to us immediately.”