Student's death 'was murder'

Marsha McDonnell was waiting to go to university

Police investigating the death of a teenager who was found lying in the street with head injuries in south-west London have begun a murder inquiry.

Student Marsha Louise McDonnell, 19, who lived with her parents' in Priory Road, Hampton, was just yards from her home when she was found on Tuesday.

A post mortem examination on Thursday found she died of head injuries caused by a blunt instrument.

She had been on her way home from a night out in nearby Kingston when she was found just after midnight in the quiet residential road.

Her mobile phone was still in her pocket and her bag has been found with nothing missing.

Miss McDonnell, who was awaiting re-graded A-Level results and was on a gap year, died in hospital on Wednesday.

I just don't know why it happened. One minute more and she would have been home

Neighbour

A neighbour was in tears as she told BBC London: "I can't believe something like this has happened around here.

"We have been neighbours for 10 years, she was just a normal 19-year-old girl enjoying her life.

"I just don't know why it happened. One minute more and she would have been home."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We now know she took a 111 bus from the centre of Kingston, getting off in Percy Road.

"She is thought to have walked from Percy Road to Priory Road, where she was found."