A third teenager has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man in Chingford, east London.

It is believed that James Markham, 45, was stabbed to death after confronting a group of youths on the street in Churchill Terrace on Monday evening, the Metropolitan police said.

A 16-year-old girl was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of assisting an offender, and has been taken to an east London police station. On Wednesday, two 14-year-old boys were arrested, one on suspicion of Markham’s murder, the other on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. They both remain in custody.

Reports have suggested the father-of-two was trying to defend his 17-year-old daughter from a group of youths before his death. His next of kin are being supported by specialist officers.

Markham’s wife, Candice, told the Evening Standard: “It’s absolutely devastating. I’ve lost the heart of the family.”

Bouquets of flowers were left at the scene in tribute to Markham, who worked as a tiler. A note with one bouquet read: “Thinking of you all. You will be in our thoughts and prayers. Much love. 37th Chingford Scout Group xx.”

A close family friend and neighbour, who was tearful as she approached the scene and did not want to be named, told the PA news agency that Markham, who was known as Jamie, was “a man with a good heart and a good soul”.

“He was my friend, my neighbour. A lovely man, a worker,” she said. “He would wake up at 5am, come back 6pm, doing the daily routine with the kids, always with the kids.”

She added: “We are devastated for Jamie. He was kind, a good person, someone who will always be there for you. Anything that you need, he’ll always be there, fixing anything that you need from the house. He was a very good person.”

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 6.20pm on 9 August after reports of a disturbance. Markham was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene with a postmortem examination later confirming he died of a stab wound to the lung.

DI John Marriott said: “The arrests of these individuals is a significant development but we still need the public’s help to build a full picture of exactly what happened on Monday evening.

“I know that there were a number of people present at the time of the murder. I want them to come forward.

“I also believe there will be parents who know that their child was there, or was involved.”

He appealed for anyone with information about what happened to contact police.

Anyone who has any information in relation to the incident should call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC, giving the reference 5735/09AUG.