Sisters dance with fairy lights in photo taken an hour before they were both brutally murdered by mystery knife killer
TWO murdered sisters danced with fairy lights for a haunting last selfie which could have sealed their tragic fate.
Within 77 minutes of the photo being taken, Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, were both savagely stabbed to death.
The senseless attack by a stranger came at the end of a socially distanced champagne picnic held at a beauty spot to celebrate Bibba’s birthday.
After the other guests left, Bibaa and close step-sister Nicole remained behind to listen to music, dance and pose for photos with lights draped over themselves.
But a killer was lurking in the darkness at Fryent Country Park, Kingsbury, North West London – and watching the two sisters illuminated at the hilltop site.
A “distinctive pattern” created by the lights could have been visible to anyone in the park at the time, said the detective leading the double murder hunt.
The killer struck after Bibaa and Nicole’s last selfie at 1.13am on Saturday 6 June.
At 2.30am another of the party guests attempted to ring the sisters on their phones, but the calls went unanswered.
Sparkling effects from the lights were captured in two photos found after police divers recovered the sisters’ mobile phones from a pond where they were dumped by their killer.
FRENZIED ATTACK
Detectives released the images as they continued to hunt for the maniac who fatally stabbed both sisters multiple times in a frenzied attack.
Meanwhile, Bibaa and Nicole’s retired Anglican priest mother Wilhelmina Smallman spoke of the impact which her daughters’ murders have had on her and their fathers.
She 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.”
Bibaa, who lived in Wembley, and Nicole, of Harrow, were part of a group of 10 people who gathered from 7.40pm on Friday for the birthday picnic in the 254-acre park.
The hilltop site by two Ash trees is a five-minute walk from houses on Valley Drive and has panoramic views of London and its surrounding countryside.
Bibaa sent out invitations to guests stressing it was an open-air socially distanced party, as millions have been responsibly doing during the coronavirus pandemic.
The group, which included Bibaa’s grown-up daughter, drank moderately and ate finger food, but did not have any cutlery.
Det Chief Inspector Simon Harding, leading the murder hunt, said there had been other groups in the area earlier in the evening and a continual stream of dog walkers.
Nothing untoward occurred during the evening and DCI Harding said: “We have spoken to everyone who attended the party and the level of grief is palpable.
“We are as certain as we can be that the attack was carried out by someone who was not known to Bibaa or Nicole.”
'PALPABLE GRIEF'
Bibaa, a senior social worker for Buckinghamshire County Council, and her photographer sister Nicole remained behind when the last of the other guests left at 12.30am.
A text message was sent on Nicole’s phone at 1.05am before the last selfie was taken at 1.13am. Their phones then went unanswered at 2.30am.
They were reported missing to police late on Saturday and their bodies were found by a member of the public on Sunday lunchtime in a line of trees 100 yards from the picnic site.
DCI Harding said: “The two-hour period from when the last guest left at 12.30am is highly significant.
“We have interrogated the phones recovered from a pond around 100 yards from the Valley Drive entrance and a similar distance to the hilltop picnic site.
“There was a last text message sent at 1.05am and they were in good spirits and taking selfie pictures, listening to music and dancing with fairy lights.
"Those lights created a distinctive pattern, as the two images we are releasing show. This in itself may have been noticeable to local residents and other users of the park.
"The last selfie picture was taken at 1.13am and then there were calls to them at 2.30am which went unanswered."
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
Parents of Nicole and Bibaa
The killer suffered a “significant” injury, suggesting the sisters fought for their lives.
But DNA from the killer’s blood found at the scene has not been matched to any profiles held on the national database.
The women were not sexually assaulted and there is no clear motive for the murders, say police.
“We are exploring all possibilities,” said DCI Harding.
He said it was not yet known whether the women were initially attacked at the picnic site, or within the line of trees where their bodies were found a short distance away.
“There is still forensic testing going on to try and establish what happened,” DCI Harding said.
He said a large area of the park would remain sealed off for several more weeks while it is examined by specialist search teams.
A knife used in the murders has been found but police are still searching for other weapons which may have been wielded by the killer.
The grass in the area where the sisters were attacked is now 2ft high and DCI Harding said: “It is a massive area to cover.”
'SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING'
A field HQ has been set up by cops who are also conducting a huge trawl of CCTV in the area and appealing for any motorists in the area with dashcam to come forward.
Several items at the scene belonging to Bibaa and Nicole were cleared away by well-intended members of the public.
Some have been found, but searches are continuing at a waste site to find other outstanding items, which police decline to disclose.
Locals have reported that a man in his 50s had been scaring women in the park in the weeks leading up to the murders and police have received more than 100 calls from potential witnesses, including some "notable sightings."
DCI Harding said: “We still need information about anyone acting suspiciously on that night or in the weeks leading up to what happened.
“We believe the attack was carried out by one male suspect at this stage, but cannot definitely rule out whether a second person was involved.
“Because of the items found in the pond, we believe he left the area by the Valley Drive entrance.”
He said someone may have noticed the injury sustained by the attacker and urged them to examine their conscience and come forward.
DCI Harding said : “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.
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"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.”
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Local police commander Roy Smith, said extra patrols were being carried out and urged people to be “vigilant” in parks and open spaces, particularly after dark.
A 36-year-old man arrested in south London on suspicion of murder was subsequently released and will face no further action regarding the murder.
