Mystery of missing Owami Davies as British FBI joins the hunt

The National Crime Agency has joined the desperate search for a missing student nurse – as mystery continues to surround her sudden disappearance six weeks ago.

Owami Davies, 24, was last seen on London Road in Croydon, south London, walking towards the Norbury area at around 12.30pm on July 7.

The last sighting was three days after the Kings College student left her family home in Grays, Essex, on July 4. 

But she has not been since amid growing concern over her welfare, while the National Crime Agency (NCA) has now joined the missing persons case and is trawling through six reported sightings of her.

A statement said last night: ‘Specialists from the NCA’s Major Crime Investigative Support command are assisting this investigation led by the Metropolitan Police.

‘Please contact them if you have information that can help trace Owami Davies.’

The Met has also revealed that she was possibly spotted in Croydon ‘in the days after she was last seen’ and say she could still be ‘in the local area and in need of help’. 

CCTV footage released by police from July 7 showed Owami wearing a dark jacket, red t-shirt, light grey joggers and slider type shoes. She also had a white handbag over her shoulder.

Officers have downloaded around 50,000 hours of CCTV and have viewed 10,000 hours of footage as part of efforts to verify the sightings.

But despite the case being treated as a missing person investigation, specialist crime officers are probing the disappearance.

Five people have been arrested and released under investigation during the course of the investigation.

Two men, 27 and 23 from Croydon, were arrested on suspicion of murder earlier this month. 

A further three men – 23, 27 and 32 – were detained on suspicion of kidnap.

The men have been bailed until September, police say.

Owami is said to have been ‘really happy’ and had around two months left of studying her nursing course at Kings College.

She has secured a job at Guy’s and St Thomas’s health trust in London upon her graduation.

The student had worked in A&E during the Covid pandemic and was interested in doing research on diseases.

The chaplaincies of Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Kings College London held a service for Owami today.

The hospital trust said: ‘We are devastated about the disappearance of our colleague and encourage anyone who may have any information to contact the police or Crimestoppers.’ 

Owami disappeared from the family home, where she lives with her mother and brothers, in Grays on July 4.

She was then seen in the early hours of July 7 as she walked along Derby Road, West Croydon – more than 28 miles away from her home. 

An unconfirmed sighting was then reported to police close to nearby Clarendon Road at around 7am later the same day.

The last confirmed was Owami walking along London Road in Croydon, towards the Norbury area at around 12.30pm on July 7.

But no further pictures or footage have been released in more than a month since that CCTV footage in Croydon. 

Owami has not contacted her family or turned up to work over the period of her disappearance.

Detective Chief Inspector Nigel Penney, who is leading the investigation, said yesterday: ‘The search to find Owami Davies continues, and we are conducting searches, appeals and extensive CCTV inquiries in order to trace and find her.

‘I would remind people that even though detectives from Specialist Crime are investigating, this remains a missing person enquiry.

‘We are obviously very concerned for the welfare of Owami and it is possible she is in the local area and in need of help.

‘We have reports of someone of Owami’s description being seen in the Croydon area in the days after she was last seen on CCTV and we sincerely hope to find her safe and well.’

Mr Penney has urged people to look at the pictures of the missing student to see if they remember seeing her in the area. 

Investigators previously appealed for the driver of a white van that was parked in Derby Road when Owami was last seen to come forward.

She and a man crossed the road just as the van pulled out.

And her mother, Nicol Davies, 46, has made repeated emotional appeals to help find her daughter.

She said: ‘It is obvious that someone out there has seen something, someone out there knows something, someone out there heard something.

‘I am begging, I am asking for the public’s help, from the people, to say if you know, if you have heard or seen her, or she passed you, please speak up.

‘All we really want is to find her, all we really need is for her to come home or to know her whereabouts.’

She continued: ‘I sit here as a desperate mother at the mercy of anyone that knows or heard something to help me find my baby, that’s all I’m asking, just help to find her.

‘Or her, if she’s somewhere and hears this, to please come home. We miss her so much, her brothers and myself miss her, need her.

‘We are not complete, we just want her to come home and, again, if she is listening she should know she’s not in trouble.’

Dave Stringer, who is the south area commander chief superintendent, reassured the community that they are doing all they can to help find the young woman.

He said: ‘We understand the real anxiety that is currently felt in our community and we have additional officers patrolling to reassure you.

‘Please do take the opportunity to speak to these officers about your concerns, they are there to help you and answer any questions you may have.

‘Lastly, I would like to express my thanks to everyone who has helped us, and is helping us, to find Owami.

‘We truly appreciate the outstanding support we have received from both our community and our partners.’

The Met’s Specialist Crime Command is leading the investigation into her disappearance and has brought in support from the National Crime Agency.

Five people arrested so far in relation to the inquiry have been released on bail.

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8721 4622, or to remain anonymous contact on 0800 555111 or online.