Murder investigation launched after non-league footballer Ezekiel Williams dies aged 26

Thames Valley Police have launched a murder investigation after Hendon FC midfielder Ezekiel Williams, 26, died in hospital on Monday following a suspected assault in Milton Keynes in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Officers were called by South Central Ambulance Service shortly after 1:50am GMT on Sunday, with Williams found suffering serious injuries. Two men, aged 21 and 28, have since been arrested on suspicion of murder, while a third man, aged 30, has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. All three have been remanded in custody.

Detective Inspector Rob Underhill, of Thames Valley Police’s major crime unit, said the force does not believe there is any wider risk to the local community. “There will continue to be an increased police presence in and around The Hub and Milton Keynes city centre over the coming days, and I would encourage anybody with concerns to speak with our officers,” he added.

Williams joined Isthmian League South Central Division side Hendon in September, having previously represented Kettering Town and Marlow FC among other non-league clubs. He scored his first goal for Hendon just nine days before his death, netting in a 4-2 defeat to Jersey Bulls.

Hendon paid tribute to Williams in a statement, describing him as “a humble, unassuming and generous individual with a razor-sharp wit” who had “quickly established himself as a highly popular member of the dressing room” and was “beginning to carve a place for himself in midfield with a series of hard-working and selfless displays that summed him up as a person.”

The club’s London Senior Cup tie against Woodford Town was postponed on Wednesday as a mark of respect, giving players and staff time to process the news.