JAMAICAN FEMALE DANCER KILLED IN LONDON

Hunt for lover after mother is found stabbed and strangled in bathroom

A mother of three has been found stabbed and strangled in the bathroom at her family home.

Police launched a murder inquiry after the body of Sashana Roberts, 24, was discovered in her terraced house in Cricklewood.

Detectives were urgently trying to trace Miss Roberts's partner, Ezekiel Foster, aged in his 50s. Her mother, Lorna Warburton, paid tribute to her "loving daughter".

Ms Warburton, who lived with Miss Roberts and her three children, claimed Foster, who was a church deacon, had previously been "aggressive" to her daughter.

She said: "She was a loving person. She was not vile to him, she is not aggressive to him but he was so aggressive. I got a phone call saying that I had to come home right now because my daughter had been strangled and stabbed her and left her in the bathroom to die.

"She told him he must go and find someone his own age because she didn't want to be with him.

"When I first heard I said to the police, 'leave her in the bed sleeping' because she was sleeping when I went out of the house. I couldn't believe something like that could happen so quickly. They can't find him now. He ran away. I haven't seen the body, I wanted to but the police wouldn't let me inside."

Miss Roberts's three children from a previous relationship, Toni-Anne, five, Ricardo, three, and Giselle, 11 months, were being cared for by relatives after their mother's murder on the street where former Mayor Ken Livingstone lives.

Mrs Warburton, aged 59, said: "The smaller ones don't realise what has happened but Toni-Anne is traumatised."

Miss Roberts, who used the name Shana Pepper on social network websites, had been in a five-year relationship with Foster who worked as a builder for five years and was known as a keen dancer.

One of Sashana's friends, Dissie Dixon, 16, said: "I remember her as someone that is always there for people. She is loving and she was committed to her kids.

"She was just always entertaining people. All the parties in the area were held by close friends she would liven the party up.

"I have heard that she told this man the relationship was over but he was just obsessed. He is not the type of person who would just stab someone but you never know what someone's heart is telling them."

Another friend of Sashana said that her three children were doing well despite the shock of her death. She said: "They are just saying 'my mummy's gone' They don't understand what is really going on."

London fashion designer Romero Bryan, whose outfits Miss Roberts bought online paid tribute to her on her on a website. He said: "RIP to our lovely client, Shana Pepper. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Shana. I don't want to state the obvious but ladies please don't let Shana's death be in vain."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We are seeking any witnesses who may have information with regard to the circumstances leading up to the death. We would also like to speak to anyone who may have heard a disturbance or seen any suspicious activity on that road."

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen Mr Foster to call the incident room on 020 8358 0331.