Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Talay Riley, who co-wrote Dua Lipa's 2016 single "Last Dance," has been fatally stabbed in east London, prompting a homicide investigation by the Metropolitan Police.
Police said officers were called on the morning of Friday, Jun. 5, to reports of a stabbing at a residential address on Rayleigh Road in Silvertown, east London. Riley, whose legal name was Mark Orabiyi, 35, was found in the garden of the property with multiple stab wounds and was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command are leading the inquiry and treating the case as murder, according to Deadline.
A second victim, a man in his 20s, also suffered stab wounds during the incident and remains in hospital, but his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing, according to police. Officers have appealed for witnesses and anyone with footage from the area around the time of the attack to come forward.
Three people — two men aged 27 and 24 and a 25-year-old woman — were arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after the incident.
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The 27-year-old man has been released on bail pending further inquiries, while the 24-year-old man and the woman have been released with no further action, police said. No charges have yet been announced, and investigators have not disclosed a suspected motive.
Riley was a British singer and songwriter whose work spanned pop and R&B, and he had writing credits on major releases for international artists, People reported.
In addition to Dua Lipa's "Last Dance" and "Hotter Than Hell," he contributed to tracks such as H.E.R.'s "Lights On," which appeared on the Grammy-winning album "H.E.R.," as well as Khalid's "Young Dumb & Broke," Zendaya's "Close Up," and Britney Spears' "Clumsy."
Music outlets reported that Riley, who had toured with performers including Usher and other major acts, had built a reputation as a sought-after collaborator and multi-platinum songwriter.
An Instagram statement posted by his family and manager confirmed his death and asked for privacy as they mourn, while tributes from artists such as Stormzy and other colleagues praised his contributions to contemporary pop and R&B.
Authorities said formal identification and a post-mortem examination are being completed as the murder investigation continues, as per Standard.
