Police build up picture of people they want to speak to over murder of Nahid Al-Manea in Greenstead

A fund to support the scholarship, which is expected to be for an international student who wants to work in science education.

Essex University has launched a fundraising campaign for the scholarship. 

Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Forster said: “Nahid was an exceptional student who had impressed her teachers through her hard work and enthusiasm for her studies.

"She will be missed by all who knew her.
“The scholarship in memory of Nahid will help us to honour a talented member of our community both now and in the years ahead.
“Our University is incredibly proud of the strength of our international and diverse community and we hope people will stand with us in remembering and honouring Nahid by making a donation to the scholarship fund.”

Those wanting to make a donation can go to the Essex Spirit blog by clicking here. 

Detectives investigating the murder of a Colchester student still have descriptions of seven people they urgently want to speak to.

Two new people are being sought after the investigation was said to have gathered “great pace” over the weekend.

One of those is described as a tall man wearing a trilby style-hat who was seen in the area around the time of the murder.

He is described as slim and was wearing a long dark trench style coat. His hat may have been green or dark blue and he had long dark wispy hair.

Det Chief Supt Steve Worron, who is leading the investigation, said: “For me that’s a fairly distinctive description and I think the person wearing this item or anyone who has seen him would remember that.

Another new description released is of a man walking two Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dogs who was seen coming from Scarfe Way, Greenstead, around the time of the murder. Nahid Al-Manea was stabbed 16 times on the Salary Brook Trail on Tuesday June 17.

More than 300 police officers are working 14-hour days to keep Colchester safe and apprehend the killer, or killers.

Other descriptions of people police want to speak to are: A man who was seen on the Salary Brook Trail between 10.20am and 10.40am, shortly before Nahid was found. He is thought to have been wearing a very distinctive, beige jacket. It is described as being an Italian designer item, it was slightly longer than waist-length, had brown buttons up the front and two pockets also with buttons.

He was walking from the direction of the university towards the Greenstead estate on the Salary Brook Trail.

*Detectives also want to speak to anyone who may have been fishing or bird watching in the area at the time of the murder. If you were there overnight on Monday, June 16 or in the early hours of Tuesday, June 17 call the incident room number 01245 282103.

*Other people police would like to trace who were in the area on the day Nahid was murdered are a woman dog walker who was walking from the underpass with a number of dogs.

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*Police would like to speak to two cyclists who were seen using the trail on the morning that Nahid was killed. The man and woman were cycling together and may have seen Nahid after she was attacked. They were seen by a witness at 10.45am on Tuesday, June 17, coming from the direction of the university towards Greenstead on the Salary Brook Trail. The man is described as being olive skinned with dark hair. He was in his early 20s and looked tall and slim. The woman is thought to be in her 20s with long dark hair. She was wearing what has been described as a flowing pattern tiered skirt.

*Officers would still like to speak to a man seen running up Hewes Close, away from the Salary Brook Trail at 10.56am on Tuesday, June 17. He is described as white, aged between 18 and 25, of medium build and with dark hair. He was wearing a long sleeve plain hooded top that is described as London bus red and dark trousers.

If you can help with any information about these people, if you know who they are or if you think it you, call 01245 282103 now. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers has offered a reward of £10,000 to anyone with information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the murder of Nahid Almanea.