Man guilty of strangling young woman to death

A man who strangled and killed a woman has been found guilty of murder.

Jon Ismaili, 33, spent two hours at a property with Catalina Birlea, 23, in Chesterton Road in Cambridge on 2 October 2025, before covering his face as he left.

Officers said Birlea was working as a sex worker on the morning she was killed.

Ismaili, of Montgomery Grove, Dunstable, is due to be sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday.

He travelled to the property in Cambridge at about 08:50 BST where he spent two hours before leaving. She was found by a friend 90 minutes later but died at the scene.

Facial recognition technology identified Ismaili, previously of Waterbeach, as the man entering and exiting the property.

Following a manhunt, he was arrested on 5 October, Cambridgeshire Police said.

Officers discovered Birlea's phone had been connected to the network around Ismaili's home after she died.

A post-mortem examination concluded she died as a result of compression of the neck.

Ismaili made no comment in interview and pleaded not guilty to murder. It took a jury nine hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict.

Det Insp Mark Dollard said: "Only Ismaili knows what happened at the property that morning and why he murdered Catalina.

"He left the house knowing exactly what he had done, covering his face and actively avoiding police. I am pleased officers were able to catch up with him so quickly through diligent detective work putting together a comprehensive investigation.

"Catalina was working as a sex worker that morning, and this case underlines the risks faced by those in this industry.

"To those working in the sex industry who have experienced violence please report it to the police. We will listen, we will investigate without prejudice and we will support you."

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