Mystery surrounds the death of a 24-year-old woman found dead in the boot of a car in London, nearly 100 miles from her home.

Harshita Brella’s body was found in the back of a vehicle on Brisbane Road, Ilford, after being killed by someone police believe he was “known to her”.

Alarms were raised on Wednesday when Northamptonshire Police received a call about concerns for Harshita’s welfare.

The officer was sent to her home address in Skegness Walk, Corby, but received no answer to the door.

A missing person’s inquiry was launched and after inquiries were stepped up, she was found on Thursday in Brisbane Road, Ilford – around 95.7 miles away from the shared home where she lived.

A local told MailOnline: ‘They seemed to be focusing on a car. It’s awful. It’s quite an unsafe area. The poor woman must have been through hell.

“It is deeply shocking. I felt sick. You must have been through so much pain.

Harshita Brella was reported missing by authorities on November 13 after Northamptonshire Police carried out a welfare check at her home in Skegness Walk, Corby and received no response.

The woman’s body was found in the boot of a car on Brisbane Road, pictured, in Ilford

Harshita’s body was discovered nearly 100 miles from her Northamptonshire home

They continued: “Officers swarmed the entire street and were here for hours. He looked incredibly serious.

“There was shouting in the street at the beginning of the week. It’s rough around here, so I didn’t bat an eyelid. There’s always drug dealing, attacks and all that.

A post mortem examination, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary yesterday, confirmed that Harshita had been killed, but no arrests have yet been made.

Meanwhile, a neighbor at Harshita’s home in Corby told the Northampton Chronicle that the house where the young woman lived was being used as an HMO (house in multiple occupation) and at one point last year 12 people were living there.

The number of occupants has since dwindled and the neighbor said she believed the home had Bulgarian, Moldovan and Portuguese residents.

The property has been largely quiet since some noise complaints were resolved last year, the neighbor added.

A murder investigation is underway after the 24-year-old’s body was found in a car boot near the entrance to Valentines Park in Ilford, east London.

A general view of Skegness Walk in Corby where Harshita Brella lived in a share house

But earlier this week, she heard a commotion: “When that gate slammed, I knew something was up. Someone took off quickly.

“I had heard noises coming from the house and then obviously they just went to their feet.

“The police have been here for about four days.”

Forensic officers spent hours at the scene of the car and only yesterday removed a tent and the crime scene.

And police asked locals if they had seen any suspicious activity in the area – particularly in relation to the men.

One person, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s a mystery how it got here. Poor woman.

“The officers asked me if I saw anything suspicious, they basically asked me if there were any suspicious men in the area.

“They seem to suggest they know who did it. From what they told me, I bet he sounds like a man who knew her. They seemed to want to know about men in particular.

Map showing the location where Harshita’s body was discovered on the road in Brisbane

Map showing the location of Harshita Brella’s house on Skegness Walk in Corby

Shop worker Paul Sidebottom, 54, said police spent hours in the street and asked locals for CCTV.

He said: “Our store CCTV showed nothing.

“They asked me if I saw or heard anything. They looked very worried.

Northamptonshire Police also approached the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) because of their previous contact with it.

Chief Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell of the East Midlands Special Operations Major Crime Unit (EMSOU), said: “Firstly, I want to express my sincere condolences to everyone who loved Harshita Brella.

“She was a young woman in her 20s with her whole life ahead of her and it is absolutely tragic that her life was cut short in this way.

“Detectives from EMSOU and Northamptonshire Police are working around the clock to establish the circumstances behind her death, including the exact location and time frame in which it occurred.”

DCI Campbell is appealing for anyone who may have information about this incident to come forward.

He said: “While we believe Harshita was attacked by someone she knew, we are keeping an open mind and are appealing to anyone who knew her to contact us with any relevant information they may have.

“If you have seen anything suspicious in the last week or have any information, however small, please contact us. We would always rather receive well-intentioned information that turns out to be nothing, than not receive it at all.

Anyone who may have information that could assist police inquiries is asked to contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.