Drugs caused Maja's death says coroner

Heroin addict's body found in Wilkinson Way

An inquest hearing has concluded that the death of Maja Trajkovic was due to opiate poisoning. The 21 year old woman's body was found on Wilkinson Way on the border of Acton and Chiswick.

The amount of heroin in Maja's blood was within the level that experts regard as a fatal dose. However foul play could not be ruled out as it may have been possible for a regular user to survive such a dose.

Experts concluded that the bruising seen on the face of the victim was not consistent with smothering. One expert witness did say that drugs were not the most likely cause of death and that the dosage would have made it difficult to fight off an attacker.

The last confirmed sighting of Maja was in the early hours of Wednesday 11th September 2002 by a police officer in Acton High Street. Her body was discovered by a member of the public in a grassy courtyard area underneath low lying trees on the 15th September. It is believed the body may have been there for a number of days. Maja was 21 and lived at 18 Chatsworth Gardens, Acton. A initial post mortem at Ealing mortuary failed to establish a cause of death. The results of toxicology tests found heroin or methadone present in the Maja's body.

A 35 year old man was later arrested in High Wycombe in connection with the suspicious death but was released without charges.

The Ealing Gazette have quoted a 'police source' who claims the death was murder. The allegation is that Nurlon Abdrokov, who is currently serving an 11 year service for attacks on women including one in the Acton area just prior to Maja's death, could have been responsible.

A full inquest will be heard when the police have concluded their investigation into the death.                             

January 14, 2005