Talay Riley, 35, Dies in East London Stabbing as Police Keep Murder Probe Open

Q: With initial suspects released, who is responsible for the murder of Grammy-winning musician Talay Riley?

No one has been publicly identified or charged as responsible for Talay Riley’s murder. Based on the available reporting, three people were arrested after the fatal stabbing in Silvertown, east London, but none has been named as the killer. A 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were released with no further action, while a 27-year-old man was released on bail as police inquiries continued. That means responsibility for the killing has not yet been established in public by investigators or the courts. The Metropolitan Police have said the murder investigation remains active and are still seeking witnesses, CCTV, and other footage from the morning of June 5. At this stage, the most accurate answer is that the case remains unsolved publicly. Police have not announced a charge, identified a suspect as the attacker, or disclosed a confirmed motive. Anyone with relevant information has been asked to contact the Metropolitan Police or Crimestoppers.

Q: Why was the hitmaker behind songs for Khalid and Dua Lipa stabbed to death in east London?

The reason Talay Riley was stabbed to death has not been publicly established. What is known is that the Grammy-winning songwriter, whose real name was Mark Orabiyi, was killed in a double stabbing in Silvertown, east London, on June 5. Police were called after reports of a stabbing and found him with multiple stab wounds in a garden on Rayleigh Road shortly after 9:00 BST. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A second man in his 20s was also stabbed but survived with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The Metropolitan Police have opened a murder investigation, but detectives have not disclosed any motive or explanation for what led to the attack. Three people were arrested in connection with the case, but a 24-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were released with no further action, while a 27-year-old man was released on bail pending further inquiries. At this stage, any claim about why Riley was targeted would be speculative. Investigators have said the inquiry is continuing “at pace” and have appealed for witnesses, CCTV, and phone footage from the area that morning to help establish the circumstances. So, the short answer is that the killing is under active investigation, and police have not yet said why the hitmaker behind songs for Khalid and Dua Lipa was stabbed.

3 articles · Updated · Rolling Stone · Jun 8

Talay Riley — the 35-year-old songwriter behind tracks for Dua Lipa, Britney Spears and H.E.R. — was found with stab wounds in a garden in east London around 9 a.m. on June 5 and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Metropolitan Police said a second victim, a man in his 20s, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, and detectives are still seeking witnesses and security footage as the investigation continues.
Three people were arrested on suspicion of killing Riley, whose real name was Mark "Yinka" Orabiyi; one was released on bail pending further inquiries and two were released with no further action.
Riley's family, manager and fellow artists including Stormzy, Kehlani, Khalid and Ella Mai paid tribute to a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum songwriter whose credits stretched from Chip and Jessie J to Flo and Kehlani.