On February 14th, 2003, Valentine’s Day, twenty-five-year-old Mohammed Mahmood was stabbed to death in Slough, Berkshire, England. The attack, described by police as horrific and unprovoked, occurred during an attempted car theft and has remained unsolved for over two decades. It is widely believed to have triggered a brutal revenge killing later that year.
Mohammed was with a friend when four masked men targeted the friend’s new car in what appeared to be a straightforward theft. During the confrontation, one of the assailants stabbed Mohammed once in the chest. He was rushed to Wexham Park Hospital but sadly died from his injuries.
Contemporary reports portrayed Mohammed as a young father killed in a shocking act of violence amid a car theft gone wrong. Police launched an investigation, but despite appeals and efforts by Thames Valley Police, no one has ever been charged or convicted in connection with his murder.
Mohammed Mahmood’s death is believed to have fueled tensions in the local community, leading to a notorious reprisal attack. On November 9th, 2003, eighteen-year-old Daniel Higgins was tortured and shot in the head at a house in Thirlmere Avenue, Burnham (near Slough). Police and prosecutors described Higgins’ killing as a revenge attack linked to Mohammed Mahmood’s murder.
Several individuals were convicted in connection with Daniel Higgins’ murder, including Majad Khan and Mohammed Omar Akbar, who received life sentences. Others were jailed for assisting offenders. In 2019, Jamil Khalid was convicted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm (related to the Higgins case) and sentenced to ten years, though acquitted of murder. Police continued pursuing other suspects in the Higgins investigation, some of whom fled abroad.
Thames Valley Police have reviewed the Mohammed Mahmood case as part of cold case efforts, leveraging advances in forensic technology. It remains open, with appeals for information from the public.
Crime Immemorial 