Noel & Marie Brown
In December 2017, Noel Brown and his daughter Marie Brown were found murdered in his Deptford flat under chilling circumstances. The alleged perpetrator, Nathaniel Henry, was linked to the crime by DNA but died before he could face justice, leaving behind a mystery that continues to haunt South London.

Key details:
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Victims: ​
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Noel Brown (69)​
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Marie Brown (41)
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Perpetrators:
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Nathaniel Henry (37) - alleged
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Date of Murder:
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Between 30 November and 04 December 2017​
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Location: Noels Flat, New Butt Lane, Deptford
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Key Facts:
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Police entered Noel Brown’s flat on 4 December 2017 at 2:45 a.m. after family members raised concerns when his daughter, Marie, also failed to return home.
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Inside, officers found Noel’s body in the bathroom, partially dismembered, with parts of his arms and a leg missing.
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The missing limbs were never recovered, suggesting an attempt to conceal or dispose of evidence.
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Marie’s body was discovered in the living room, still wearing her coat, indicating she had only just arrived at the flat when she was killed.
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Both had been strangled, as confirmed by post-mortem examinations carried out at Greenwich Mortuary.
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There were no signs of forced entry into the flat, leading investigators to theorise that Noel may have willingly let his killer in or that the assailant had a key.
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Detective Superintendent Paul Monk commented, “One of our key lines of inquiry is to establish if the suspects were known to Noel and if Marie disturbed them.”
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Noel Brown was last seen alive on 30 November 2017 at 8 p.m., returning to his flat after visiting the local Paddy Power betting shop.
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Marie Brown, concerned after not hearing from her father, visited his flat around midday on 2 December 2017.
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Detectives believe she interrupted the killer during the dismemberment of Noel’s body, leading to her own death.
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Police were alerted on 3 December 2017 by family members after Marie failed to return home.
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Investigators recovered two Tubigrip supports (elasticated bandages) from the scene, which were used as ligatures in the murders.
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DNA on the ligatures and a bloodstain on Noel’s pillow later linked Nathaniel Henry to the crime.
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Police conducted an extensive forensic sweep of the flat, surrounding drains, and bins for further evidence but could not locate Noel’s missing limbs.
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Nathaniel Henry, a 37-year-old basketball coach from Peckham, was linked to the murders via DNA evidence found on the ligatures and at the crime scene.
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CCTV footage showed a man, identified as Henry, entering and exiting the estate several times in the days surrounding the murders.
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Henry had a previous DNA match in police databases from a 2011 burglary in Hounslow, which helped identify him as the suspect.
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Theories of motive include:
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Noel’s 1999 conviction for sexual offences involving two young girls led detectives to consider whether his murder was an act of vigilante justice or revenge. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding acknowledged this theory, saying, “We have not dismissed the possibility that Noel’s past crimes may have motivated the attack.”
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Rumours circulated that Noel had recently won £2,000 at the local betting shop, potentially making him a target. However, police found no evidence to support this claim after reviewing betting shop records and CCTV footage.
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The lack of forced entry and Noel’s reserved lifestyle led police to suspect that he might have known his attacker, either socially or through casual contact in the local community.​
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Several neighbours reported hearing “petrified screams” in the early hours of 2 December 2017, but they did not report it at the time due to the area’s usual noise levels.
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One neighbour mentioned seeing a red car speeding away from the estate around the same time, though the vehicle’s connection to the crime was never established.
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Before police could question him, Henry was found dead in his Peckham flat on 31 December 2017. He had overdosed on drugs in a locked cupboard, which was not deemed a suicide.
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Police concluded that Henry was the sole perpetrator and would have been charged with both murders had he been alive.
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Police formally closed the case in 2019, stating that Henry acted alone in the murders. Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding stated, “This was a tragic and senseless act of violence that claimed the lives of two innocent people.”