Citibank Executive Was Found Beaten to Death in Her Home. Police Believe She Knew Her Attacker

Police in the U.K. have launched an international manhunt for a suspect in the murder of a Citibank executive who was found beaten to death in her London flat.

On Friday, Jan. 17, at about 5:25 p.m., police were called to the home of Marianne Kilonzi, 43, on Argyll Road in Woolwich in southeast London, close to the River Thames, “following concerns to the welfare of the occupant,” Metropolitan Police Service spokesperson Will Staynes tells PEOPLE.

“Sadly, when they attended the property they found Marianne’s body,” he wrote.

An autopsy ruled that Kilonzi died of blunt-force trauma and a head injury, according to the BBC.

No arrests have yet been made. But police are looking into whether the suspect may have fled abroad, the BBC reports.

“I know this is a concerning time for the wider community and want to reassure the public that whilst we are in the early stages of this investigation, we believe the suspect was known to Marianne and there is no wider risk to the public,” said Detective Chief Inspector Suzanne Soren, the lead investigator in the case, in a statement.

“This is a tragic crime and our thoughts at this incredibly difficult time are with Marianne’s loved ones and colleagues,” Soren continued, urging anyone with information to come forward to authorities.

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Kilonzi was vice president of Trade and Working Capital Sales, Treasury and Trade Solutions at Citibank, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She had worked at the company for nearly 19 years, starting as an assistant vice president in 2006, then working as vice president of Treasury and Trade Solutions for Citibank N.A. in Kenya.

She had been working in her current role since June 2023.

In 2024, she ran the Dragon Boat Race with her colleagues, which raised more than $2.4 million for Cancer Research UK, according to her LinkedIn page.

In a statement, a Citibank spokesperson said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. Our thoughts are with Marianne’s family and friends during this difficult time.”