Tower Hamlets death: Hammer attack stranger murder accused in court
Metropolitan PoliceA man has appeared in court accused of carrying out a fatal hammer attack on a stranger in a historic cemetery in east London.
Erik Feld, 36, is charged with murdering Sri Lankan national Ranjith Kankanamalage last summer.
The victim, aged 51, was last seen walking alone in Tower Hamlets on 15 August.
The next morning, a passer-by found him with "catastrophic" head injuries in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
A post-mortem examination found Mr Kankanamalage died from blunt impact injuries to the head.
The imprint of the round head of a hammer was identified on 11 of the wounds.
Mr Feld, of Tredegar Road, Tower Hamlets was arrested on 20 August and bailed by police as the investigation continued.
In January he was re-arrested and charged with murder.
The victim and defendant are not believed to have known each other.
On Tuesday, Mr Feld appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from Thameside prison for a preliminary hearing.
Judge Simon Mayo QC a set a plea hearing for 12 April but did not set a trial date.
Mr Feld, who spoke only to confirm his identity in court, was remanded into custody.
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