Hallam graduate stabbed delivering his last pizza

A Sheffield Hallam graduate was found stabbed to death at the wheel of his car while delivering a pizza.

Thavisha Lakindu Peiris, 25, was on his last shift before starting a new job.

Thavisha, who was born in Sri Lanka but had travelled to the UK to study IT, was working at Domino’s Pizza while he studied.

He was found slumped at the wheel of his car at around 10.30pm on Sunday evening – while working his final shift before starting his new job as an IT consultant.

He was was delivering an order to an address in Sheffield, which was due at around 10pm and when he failed to deliver the order, his workmates set off to find him.

He was found dead in the driver’s seat of his silver Toyota Yaris and a post mortem examination showed he died from stab wounds.

A number of people have been arrested and questioned by detectives during the last 48 hours but have now been released without charge.

Det Supt Lisa Ray, who is leading the inquiry on which more than 50 officers and support staff are engaged, said no motive had yet been established for the murder.

She said: “Thavisha was a bright, hard-working, intelligent and caring man who had worked hard to develop his career in Sheffield.

“His murder is an absolute tragedy and has caused untold grief for his mother, father and brother in Sri Lanka and for his many friends in Sri Lanka and in Sheffield.

“Everything we have learned from his family, friends and workmates at Domino’s suggests he was a career-minded, hard-working, bright, articulate and friendly young man who was very much planning his future. To date, we have found no explanation for his brutal and shocking death.

“I need to hear from anyone who knows anything about his murder.

“We know he set off in his car from Domino’s at 9.50pm on Sunday to make that very last delivery. At 10.30pm he was found dead in his car parked outside the address he was delivering to.

“It is urgent that anyone who saw him, or his car, or anything that they now regard as suspicious, comes forward without delay.

“A family is grieving for a young man whose life has been taken from him in the most brutal of fashions, and we owe it to him and his family to find the person or persons responsible.”

Thavisha’s family are in Sri Lanka but are making preparations to travel to Sheffield.

Anyone with information about the death is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 1253 of 27 October 2013.