Detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of a young man in Battersea have returned to the scene exactly one week after his death, as they intensify efforts to find a woman believed to hold crucial information about his final moments.
Tai Folkes, a 25-year-old from Lambeth described by his family as a caring and loyal man with his whole future ahead of him, was ambushed and stabbed by a group of men on Thessaly Road in Nine Elms. The attack occurred at approximately 6:12pm on Monday, 2 March 2026, near the iconic Battersea Power Station.
Despite being rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition, Mr Folkes was pronounced dead, leaving his loved ones devastated by what they called a “cruel and sudden” loss.
Appeal for mystery woman and specific witnesses
The Metropolitan Police’s specialist homicide team, led by Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, has now released CCTV images of a woman seen in Mr Folkes’s vehicle immediately before the attack. Authorities have stressed she is not suspected of any offence but is considered a vital witness.
“She could hold crucial information about why he went to the location where he tragically lost his life,” DCI Howie stated. “My team has been working to identify this woman, but we believe she may not be local.”
In a detailed appeal, detectives are urging anyone with information to come forward, particularly individuals who were in specific areas during tight timeframes. They are keen to speak to anyone who was on Thessaly Road, near the Costcutter shop on the Savona Estate, between 5:45pm and 6:15pm that evening.
Officers are also interested in accounts from people on Battersea Park Road or Stewart’s Road between 6:10pm and 6:20pm. They ask if anyone witnessed a group of males talking or fighting, or saw people running away from these locations around 6:15pm.
The investigation team is also trawling for any relevant mobile phone, doorbell, dash-cam, or CCTV footage, which can be submitted via the Major Investigation Public Portal.
Arrests made as investigation progresses
The inquiry has already seen several arrests. Two men, aged 28 and 38, were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on the day of the stabbing, 2 March. Both have since been released on bail.
In a further development three days later, on Thursday 5 March, a 21-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were detained on suspicion of assisting an offender. They too have been bailed pending further enquiries.
As part of the renewed appeal, officers returned to Thessaly Road on Monday, 9 March, to speak to potential witnesses who may not have already approached the police.
In a heartfelt tribute, Mr Folkes’s family remembered him as a “much-loved son, brother and friend”. They said: “He was a caring young man full of warmth, humour and loyalty. Tai had his whole future ahead of him, with dreams, plans and so much left to give. The pain of knowing his life has been taken from us in such a cruel and sudden way is something we will carry forever.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference CAD 6165/2MAR. Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
