A 51-year-old man of Indian origin has been sentenced to life in prison in London for a murder committed 30 years ago.
Sandip Patel was convicted of brutally stabbing Marina Koppel, a 39-year-old sex worker, 140 times in her London flat in 1994.
Patel wasn’t suspected until 2022 when DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene.
Investigators found Patel’s DNA on a strand of hair found on a ring worn by Koppel and confirmed that a bloody footprint matched Patel’s.
The breakthrough came after years of forensic analysis.
Patel was sentenced after a trial at the Old Bailey on February 15.
Further evidence, including matching footprints and the use of Koppel’s stolen bank card near Patel’s home, strengthened the case against him.
He was arrested in January of last year after his DNA was recorded in a previous case in 2012.
Detective Superintendent Katherine Goodwin expressed relief that Koppel’s killer had been brought to justice.
Koppel’s family expressed relief at the closure the conviction brought, remembering Marina as a beloved family member.
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