Second man held over double murder

Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, were killed in a frenzied attack at a rented bedsit in south east London last week.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the suspect was arrested after handing himself in at a south London police station.

The spokesman said: "A 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murders of Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez in Sterling Gardens, SE14. The man handed himself in at a south London police station early this morning where he currently remains in custody."

The two friends were found dead eight days ago after an explosion at the ground-floor flat in New Cross. Mr Ferez and Mr Bonomo were found bound, gagged and covered in hundreds of stab wounds after a prolonged, frenzied attack.

Police have released an e-fit of a man seen running away from the scene of the murders. The man is white, aged 30 to 40 and slim. He was wearing a light-coloured baseball cap, dark top, blue jeans and white trainers.

Detectives have also questioned a 21-year-old man, arrested on Saturday, over the murders. He was later released without charge.

Mr Ferez's parents have appealed for the killer to come forward. "We plead with you to turn yourselves in to the police. You will not be able to live in hiding forever," said Francoise and Olivier Ferez. You may be scared and feel like a coward, but you must recognise this terrible mistake you made. We will not leave you in peace."

Mr Bonomo was stabbed nearly 200 times, up to 80 of the wounds inflicted after he was dead, while Ferez suffered nearly 50 knife wounds. The killer or killers then set fire to the apartment after pouring a petrol-like accelerant on and around their bodies. Six days earlier, Mr Bonomo disturbed an intruder stealing a laptop computer.

Experts have found no evidence of forced entry after the murders, suggesting that keys might also have been stolen. Two Sony handheld games consoles were also taken. Credit cards are also believed to be missing.