• Lorry driver Darren Kelly, 42, died after being stabbed multiple times in Caister Drive, Pitsea, on Tuesday night
  • Five people, including 13-year-old girl, in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder
  • Police searching near scene for murder weapon
  • Victim's daughter pays tribute to Mr Kelly: "It still doesn't feel real"

THE daughter of lorry driver Darren Kelly, who was stabbed to death in Pitsea on Tuesday, is "heartbroken" at his loss.

Mr Kelly, 42, died after being stabbed in Caister Drive - five people are currently in custody after being arrested on suspicion of murder.

His daughter Zoe, 20, said: "No one ever wants to hear the news that a family member has died, let alone to be told that they were murdered.

"I loved my Dad very much, we were very close and he only lived a short walk away from me.

"I last saw him on Tuesday morning when he took me to work. I'm heartbroken and to know he's not going to be round the corner anymore is very hard.

"I miss him so much already and it still doesn't feel real, but I hope that wherever he is now he's at peace. I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say that he's going to be truly missed."

WEDNESDAY 11PM:

Five people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed to death in Pitsea on Tuesday.

Darren Kelly, 42, of Voysey Gardens, Basildon, died after being found with serious injuries in Caister Drive.

A post-mortem examination has found the provisional cause of death was multiple stab wounds and blood loss.

A 20-year-old man from Pitsea, a 16-year-old boy from Basildon, a 15-year-old girl from Pitsea and a 17-year-old boy from Pitsea have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in custody.

A fifth person, a 13-year-old girl, was arrested on Thursday morning and is in custody. 

The murder investigation is being led by Det Chief Insp Simon Werrett of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

Any witnesses or anyone with information about events leading to the murder should call detectives at Essex Police on 101, email scdappeals@essex.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

WEDNESDAY 4PM:

A murder probe has been launched after a dad died following a stabbing in Pitsea.

Darren Kelly, of Voysey Gardens, Basildon, was stabbed multiple times in the chest and back after he was involved in an argument with up to five youths.

Police were called to Caister Drive in Pitsea at about 9.30pm on Tuesday after the dad-of-one, aged in his 40s, had collapsed in the street with serious injuries.

It is thought he was stabbed in an alleyway which runs behind the street and managed to reach the flats to find help.

Carole Crisp, 56, said: "He managed to get to our block and was just randomly pressing the buzzers for help.

"When I answered he said 'help me I've been stabbed'.

"I rushed down with the woman who lives below me who is a paramedic.

"He was covered in blood and there was a trail of blood along the street.

"He had been stabbed in the side and arm. I cut his clothes off while she tried to treat him."

"I'm just in shock and so sad we couldn't do more.

"He was passing out and couldn't talk. He couldn't tell us what happened."

He was treated by paramedics and the crew of an air ambulance before being taken to Basildon Hospital where he died from his injuries.

The victim, who lived in Basildon, is thought to have been stabbed during an altercation with a group of around five youths or young men.

Several locations around Caister Drive have been cordoned off while forensic investigations are carried out.

Officers were conducting house-to-house inquiries in Caister Drive, a street made up of several blocks of flats, this morning.

Residents spoke of their shock and concern after the incident.

Joe Lloyd, 22, of Caister Drive said: “I didn’t see anything happen. I came out for a cigarette around 9.30pm and there wasn’t anything here.

“I went back upstairs after 10 minutes and then saw and heard the sirens coming down the road.

“This is a nice area and nothing really happens here. I want to move now and it makes me feel uneasy about living here after what has happened.”

Jade Allwood, 24, of Caister Drive said: “I have two children one is three and the other is seven months old. We walk that way to school and I think we will be going a different way to school for a while.

"I was out talking to a friend around 9.30pm and didn’t see anything then. I hope they catch whoever has done this.”

Residents said youths often congregate in a nearby playground and there had been occasional incidents of antisocial behaviour and noise.

Gary Jones, 46, said: "We were watching television at the time and didn't hear anything.

"I woke up this morning to find a police cordon around the block where I live and was told a man had died.

"You do get groups of youths hanging around and reports of antisocial behaviour but we've never experienced anything serious ourselves.

"It is a worry when you get youths carrying knives in your area. It's unnerving to think what could happen."

The murder investigation is being led by Det Chief Insp Simon Werrett of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

He said: "I would appeal for anyone who saw the attack to contact my team. This happened in a residential area so people would have been about. If you knows who is responsible please contact me or you can give information anonymously to Crimestoppers. "

Any witnesses or anyone with information about events leading to the murder should contact detectives at Essex Police on 101, send an email to scdappeals@essex.pnn.police.uk or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.