A London court has found Marcus Arduini Monzo, a 37-year-old dual national of Spain and Brazil, guilty of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, a British-Nigerian schoolboy, during a violent rampage in northeast London. The tragic incident occurred on April 30, 2024, in Hainault and left a trail of trauma across the community.

Monzo’s rampage lasted approximately 20 minutes, during which he fatally attacked Daniel and injured several others, including a pedestrian, two police officers, and a couple in their home. He now faces a mandatory life sentence, with sentencing scheduled to take place at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Devastating Blow Ended Daniel’s Life

Daniel was on his way to school when Monzo ambushed him from behind. The jury heard how the teenager, wearing headphones and unaware of the approaching danger, was struck with a “devastating and unsurvivable” blow to the face and neck with a samurai sword.

Eyewitnesses described the chilling moment Monzo dropped to his knees and screamed with joy following the fatal attack. Maria Olmos, a witness at the scene, told the court, “It wasn’t a scream of pain. It was a scream of delight. My interpretation was that he was celebrating.”

Daniel’s parents sat through the emotionally harrowing trial, during which disturbing CCTV footage and police bodycam videos were shown. In a tearful tribute, they described their son as a “beloved son” and a “loving and precious brother.”

They said: “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.”

Multiple Charges and a Catalogue of Violence

On Wednesday, June 25, the jury at the Central Criminal Court returned a guilty verdict on charges including:

• Murder of Daniel Anjorin

• Three counts of attempted murder

• Aggravated burglary

• Possession of a bladed article

• Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm

He was, however, acquitted of one charge of attempted murder relating to a victim named Henry De Los Rios Polania, though the jury found him guilty of wounding with intent in that case.

Prosecutors detailed a pre-planned and indiscriminate attack spree, stating Monzo aimed to kill as many people as possible. He had with him two deadly swords—a samurai sword, which he used in the killing, and a katana, found in his van.

Sequence of Violence Detailed in Court

The rampage began when Monzo rammed his Ford Transit van into pedestrian Donato Iwule, catapulting him into a nearby garden. Monzo then exited the van and struck Iwule in the neck with a sword.

Moments later, he attacked Daniel, delivering the fatal blow. He continued fleeing through alleyways and streets before attacking Police Constable Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield, who was chasing him. The officer sustained three deep sword wounds delivered with what the prosecution described as “extreme force.”

Next, Monzo broke into a nearby house, entering an upstairs bedroom where a couple and their young daughter were sleeping. He demanded to know whether they “believed in God” before leaving the premises.

Finally, Inspector Molloy Campbell attempted to stop Monzo in a car park but suffered a slash wound to his hand. Monzo then climbed onto a garage roof before being apprehended by officers.

“Like a Game Happening”: Monzo’s Defense Falls Flat

In his testimony, Monzo claimed he had no memory of the attacks and insisted he had experienced a diminished mental state at the time. He compared the incident to a scene from The Hunger Games, stating that it felt like “something happened, like a game happening.”

He also told the jury that he believed he had an alternate personality as a “professional assassin.”

Monzo admitted to drinking ayahuasca, a powerful hallucinogenic tea traditionally used in Amazonian rituals. Although he blamed the tea for his mental breakdown, tests revealed no trace of DMT, the active hallucinogenic component, in his system.

The prosecution maintained that self-induced intoxication was not a defense for murder, and the jury ultimately agreed.

Background: From Martial Arts to Violent Obsession

During the trial, Monzo shared aspects of his life story. He said he had been bullied as a child in Brazil, and his family relocated to the UK in 2013. After taking up Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), he suffered an injury in 2016, which shifted his interest toward spirituality, yoga, and psychedelics.

He followed an online spiritual guru and spent a year in India at a retreat, where he was introduced to alternative belief systems. His obsession with “magical and supernatural” experiences appeared to escalate, culminating in a dangerous mental descent.

Staff at Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility where Monzo was later evaluated, described how he would reenact stabbing motions while discussing violent films. They raised concerns about his ability to distinguish reality from delusion.

Public Reaction and Next Steps

The case has sparked widespread outrage and sorrow across communities in London and Nigeria. Community leaders and advocacy groups have called for more robust mental health interventions, stricter control on bladed weapons, and better systems to monitor individuals showing violent tendencies.

Monzo remains in custody as he awaits formal sentencing. Given the severity of his crimes and the court’s findings, a whole-life tariff—meaning he would never be released—remains a possibility.

Daniel Anjorin’s death has left a permanent scar on the hearts of many. As legal proceedings move toward closure, his family and community continue to grapple with the senselessness of the violence.

The judge is expected to deliver Monzo’s sentence at the Old Bailey on Friday, bringing this harrowing chapter to its final legal conclusion.