A Spanish-Brazilian, Marcus Monzo, is facing a life sentence for killing a 14-year-old British-Nigerian schoolboy, Daniel Anjorin, in London.
The jury at London’s Central Criminal Court convicted Monzo on Wednesday of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
Monzo, 37, wanted to kill as many people as he could in a spate of indiscriminate attacks lasting 20 minutes in Hainault, northeast London, on April 30 last year, the Old Bailey heard. Anjorin’s life was ‘snuffed out in an instant’ when Monzo crept up behind him and delivered a ‘devastating and unsurvivable’ blow to the side of his face and neck.
Witnesses described Monzo dropping to his knees with both arms raised while screaming ‘in delight’ at the senseless slaughter. Daniel’s parents had sat in court throughout the trial when harrowing CCTV and police body-worn video had been played.
Speaking at the time, they paid tribute to a ‘beloved son’ and a ‘loving and precious brother’ and said they were ‘devastated’ by his death. They said, “It is difficult for us at this time to process what has happened to him and that he will never come home.
“Daniel had left the house for school, and then he was gone. “Our children have lost their loving and precious brother, and we have lost the most loved and amazing son.”
As well as killing Daniel, Monzo, who had a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, also attacked a pedestrian, two police officers and a couple in their own home before he was arrested by police. Afterwards, Monzo likened events to the Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative persona of a ‘professional assassin’.
Giving evidence at his trial, he said he had no memory of what happened and claimed his mental state had diminished his responsibility for the crimes.
However, the prosecution argued that psychosis brought on by self-induced intoxication was no defence for murder.
