British police have identified the man they are searching for in connection with the deaths of a woman and her two daughters as 45-year-old Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, a British citizen of Zimbabwean heritage who also uses the name Mark.
According to Bedfordshire Police, Tshuma is believed to have left the UK on Saturday, 4 July, travelling through an e-gate at Heathrow Airport on a British passport before boarding a flight to Zimbabwe. Investigators say he was wearing black clothing, a blue sweater and an Apple Watch.
The investigation began on Tuesday when officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit forced entry into a home on Carnoustie Drive in Great Denham, near Bedford, after concerns were raised that the family had not been seen for several days.
Inside the house, police discovered the bodies of three people believed to be Tshuma’s wife, 42-year-old Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, known as Zandile, and the couple’s daughters, 15-year-old Natalie and five-year-old Nala. Formal identification has not yet been completed.
Authorities in Zimbabwe say they have not received a formal Interpol notification indicating that Tshuma is in the country. Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said they first learned of the case through media reports and have since put measures in place to alert officers if he is spotted as investigators in both countries coordinate their efforts.
Detective Inspector Lee Martin, the senior investigating officer, described the inquiry as a “fast-paced, complex investigation” with multiple lines of inquiry underway.
“We know that Mark Tshuma left the country on Saturday and is now believed to be in Zimbabwe,” Martin said. “We are actively working with national and international agencies to pursue every available line of inquiry to track you down.”
He also made a direct appeal to the suspect.
“Mark, unthinkable harm has been caused to those around you, and this has left your relatives and friends utterly devastated. Criminal investigations know no borders. Please do the right thing, come forward and hand yourself in to local authorities.”
Martin added that investigators’ thoughts remain with “Zandile, Natalie and Nala, as well as all those who loved and knew them, at this extremely difficult time.”
Public records show Tshuma was the sole director of Nexus Trove Holdings, a property company registered at the family’s Great Denham home. The business reportedly held assets worth just over £1 million and recorded a profit of £48,277 in its latest financial year. Reports also indicate Tshuma worked as a senior IT manager earning about £100,000 a year.
Property records show the family’s four-bedroom, four-bathroom home, which includes a private swimming pool, was purchased for about £1.27 million in May 2024.
The deaths have stunned residents of Great Denham. One woman who laid flowers outside the police cordon described Zandile as “such a gracious mother,” while neighbours said they were shocked that such a crime could happen in what they considered a quiet and safe community.
The girls’ schools also paid tribute. Jo Webster, head of Pilgrims Pre-Prep School, described five-year-old Nala as “a ray of sunshine” with an inquisitive mind and “wonderful sense of humour.” She said staff had watched her grow since she was seven months old.
Gemma Gibson, head of Bedford Girls’ School, remembered Natalie, a Year 10 pupil, as “bright and accomplished,” praising her talents in dance, music and sport.
“She was fun-loving, full of life and had a positive impact on everyone she came into contact with,” Gibson said. “She will be remembered with great warmth and affection.”
Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy earlier described the case as “a deeply distressing incident in which a mother and her two children are believed to have been murdered.”
Police say there is no evidence of any wider threat to the public, though patrols in the area have been increased as a precaution.
Investigators continue to appeal for information about Tshuma’s whereabouts or any suspicious activity seen in the Great Denham area on Friday or Saturday, 4 July.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah