Police launch murder investigation after man found dead in Putney house fire

Sarah Shaffi Sunday, February 10, 2013
6:08 PM

Police believe a man found dead in a house fire in Putney was murdered, after a post-mortem found he had multiple injuries.

Officers and London Fire Brigade were called at around 5.10am on Friday to reports of a fire at a house in Holroyd Road.

The body of a man was found at the address. Police are awaiting formal identification but they believe he was Adriano Bussandri, 51, the sole occupant of the three-storey house.

A post-mortem at St George’s Hospital mortuary yesterday gave cause of death as smoke inhalation.

The post-mortem revealed that Mr Bussandri had suffered multiple injuries to his head and body, possibly inflicted by a sharp object.

An incident room has opened at Lewisham under Detective Chief Inspector Russell Taylor of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC).

He said: “I am appealing for anyone who was in the vicinity of Holroyd Road at the time of the fire and might have seen anything suspicious to contact police.

“We also need to hear from anyone who knew Mr Bussandri and had any recent contact with him.

“It is now apparent that Mr Bussandri had been subjected to a violent assault prior to the fire. If you have any information, please come forward and speak to my officers.”

Anyone with information call police on 020 8721 4868 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.