A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing at the home of Herbie Hide, the former world heavyweight boxing champion.
The victim has been identified as 25-year-old Tafadzwa Kahn, known as ‘Taffy’, who was a guest at the party on Saturday night. Mr Khan died of a single stab wound shortly after midnight, although he had sustained multiple injuries during the attack.
The party at the isolated Norfolk mansion, which contains a swimming, pool, gym and disco area, was attended by up to 300 people.
Police said yesterday that the attacker left the scene shortly after they arrived.
The detained man is from the Norwich area and is currently in Wymondham Police Investigation Centre awaiting questioning. The property remains sealed due to a forensic examination.
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Taffy Khan was described as ’a gentle giant’, a fitness fanatic and a devout Christian. He is thought to have been born in Africa, but grew up in Norwich and lived at the YMCA for around five years.
Scott Higgins, 17, who lived with Mr Khan, said: “He was a lovely geezer who always had a smile on his face. He was a very popular guy. He loved to keep fit and did a bit of boxing and kick boxing. He went to the gym every day and kept really healthy.”
Mr Khan was jobless, but described himself on as Twitter as being a ’lyricist poetic rapper and MC.’
Several friends of Mr Khan left flowers, balloons and candles in his memory at a makeshift shrine outside the YMCA in St Giles St, Norwich.
Rebecca Thompson, 21, said: “He was so lovely and bubbly all the time. He always seemed happy and was friends with everyone. He was not the fighting type at all. He would be the person to try and stop a fight. He would not go out to start anything.”
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Another friend who only gave her name as Jade, 20, said: “If someone was in trouble, he would always help them out. He was a really nice bloke.”
Father-of-four Hide, 40, who won the WBO world heavyweight title in 1994 and 1997 lived at the house with his wife Helen and two of his children.
Police said he was not believed to have been at the house at the time of the stabbing, but might have been at home earlier in the evening. He is not being treated as a suspect.
Up to 200 people had fled by the time police arrived at the house, leaving only 100 people behind. Detectives have appealed for all the party-goers to come forward.