A trans woman described as an “icon of Soho” has been found dead more than a week after going missing.
Natasha Reddington-Romanov, 55, was last seen on September 20, with friends fearing that she might have been targeted due to being transgender.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that she had been found in the Thames and the death is being treated as “unexpected, but not suspicious.”
She had last been seen walking from Trisha’s, a jazz club on Greek Street in Soho, towards Bateman Street last Friday at 2am wearing a white Chanel suit.
Ms Reddington-Romanov was well known to the venue, having previously worked there for around 10 years.
Her friend, Tracy Kawalik, told Metro that Ms Reddington-Romanov had eaten dinner in Chinatown with the owner of Trisha’s and returned to the club for a drink with the same woman – known as Trish – later that evening.
When Trisha’s closed at 1.30am, Ms Reddington-Romanov and her friends went to get more drinks at the nearby Raincall bar.
However, when they arrived to see people queuing out the door, Ms Reddington-Romanov said she would head home to her flat on Old Kent Road but is believed to have never made it.
Ms Kawalik described her friend to The Standard as “vivacious, outspoken and glamorous”.
The Met said: “Officers conducting enquiries in relation to a missing person’s report have recovered a body. Officers believe that the body discovered is that of Natasha Reddington-Romanov, a 55-year-old woman that had been reported missing from Southwark.
“Natasha’s next of kin have been informed of this development. On Saturday, 21 September, officers were alerted to the discovery of a body in the Thames near Vauxhall Bridge.
“Work was undertaken to confirm the identify of this person. In the interim, Natasha’s disappearance was reported to police on Tuesday, 24 September and a missing person’s investigation was immediately launched.
“It was subsequently confirmed that the body recovered was that of Natasha’s. The death is being treated as unexpected, but not suspicious. A file will be prepared for the Coroner.”