Killer jailed for 15 years for murdering student in London in 2021

Killer, 17, is jailed for 15 years for motiveless murder of 16-year-old student who was last teen to be killed in London in 2021 – capital’s bloodiest year for teens since Second World War

• Elvis Tacu, 16, was stabbed to death in a London park on December 30, 2021
• He was pronounced dead after a seven inch wound to his back pierced his heart 
• The 16-year-old became the 30th teenager to be killed in the capital in 2021 
• His killer, 17, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 years 

A teenage killer has been jailed for at least 15 years for the motiveless murder of a 16-year-old student.

Elvis Tacu died from his injuries after he was repeatedly stabbed in Yiewsley, west London on 30 December 2021.

He was the 30th teenager to be killed in the capital in 2021 – bringing the grisly toll to its highest level since the Second World War. 

The 17-year-old killer, who cannot be named, was tracked down by police after phone records revealed the pair had been in touch shortly before the attack at Philpot’s Farm Open Space.

Elvis Tacu (pictured), 16, died from his injuries after he was repeatedly stabbed in west London on December 30, 2021

Elvis, originally from Romania, was found unresponsive at the scene by a member of the public who remained with him providing first aid until police and paramedics arrived.

He was pronounced dead after a seven inch wound to his back penetrated his heart.

Extensive CCTV and mobile phone enquiries showed the killer, then 16, had been with Elvis immediately prior to the murder.

The pair had arranged to meet and the suspect had brought a knife with him but a motive has never been established for the attack.

The defendant admitted murder at Harrow Crown Court. 

Elvis Tacu (pictured) was killed by a 17-year-old who was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years

The tragedy took the total number of teenage killings in the capital in a calendar year to 30 – passing a previous peak of 29, set in 2008

He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years, less 225 days spent on remand.

Detective Chief Inspector James Shirley said: ‘This is a harrowing case where we have yet again seen the devastation that carrying a knife can cause. 

‘A 16-year-old boy is dead and another teenager will spend the prime years of his life in prison.

‘I urge anyone concerned in knife crime to look at what happens and put the knife down. 

‘The consequences are enormous and life-changing for everyone, at the heart of it is Elvis, who was just 16.

Pictured: Police at the scene of the murder last year where Tacu was found unresponsive by a member of the public

‘He had his entire life before him and instead his family had to plan his funeral. Their courage throughout this ordeal has been extraordinary, but though they have seen justice done, their grief will not end here.’

Elvis had lived in West Drayton with Mihaela, her husband, and his three-and-a-half year-old brother. 

Elvis’ family said in a statement read to the court: ‘Time doesn’t heal wounds; it just teaches us how to live with pain. Grief is the price we pay for love. 

‘Elvis’ murderer will be out walking the streets living his whole life – he will always be a murderer and only God can forgive him.’

Record number of teenage boys killed in London in 2021

There were a total of 30 teenage killings in London in 2021.

This surpasses the 27 killings seen in 2017, which had been the highest in recent years.

Last year’s total is higher than the 2008 record of 29 for a single year in London. 

This is a list of the 30 victims in 2021:

Pictured: the faces of teenagers senselessly killed in London in 2021. Top row left to right: Anas Mezenner, 17, Hani Solomon, 18, Drekwon Patterson, 16, Tai Jordan O’Donnell, 19, Ahmed Beker , 19, Camron Smith, 16, and Damarie Omare Roye, 16, Mazaza Owusu-Mensah, 18, Ezra Okobia, 14, (not pictured),  Hussain Chaudhry, 18. Second row left to right: Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, Fares Maatou, 14,  Alex Ajanaku, 18, (not pictured) Abubakkar Jah, 18, Tamim Ian Habimana, 15, Jermaine Cools, 14, Tashawn Watt, 19, Hazrat Wali, 18, Rishmeet Singh, 16, Romario Opia, 15. Bottom row left to right: Jalan Woods-Bell, 15, Keane Flynn-Harling, 16, Kamran Khalid, 18, Taylor Cox, 19, Denardo Samuels-Brooks, 17, Stelios Averkiou, 16, (not pictured) Daniel Laskos, 16, Nikolay Vandev, 19, Unnamed boy, 15, Unnamed boy, 16

• January 19: Anas Mezenner, 17, was found with stab wounds in West Green Road, Haringey, north London, shortly after 9pm. He was taken to hospital but died at 4.25am. The teenager had reportedly made an anti-knife crime video for a media studies course weeks before he died.
• January 25: Romario Opia, 15, was found stabbed in Holland Walk, Islington, north London, at around 5.30pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene a short while later.
• February 11: Hani Solomon, 18, from Wandsworth in south London, was killed during a fight between two groups of men shortly after 6.30pm in Ackmar Road, Fulham, west London. He was treated by police, paramedics and an air ambulance team but was pronounced dead at the scene less than an hour later.
• February 18: Drekwon Patterson, 16, from Wembley, north-west London, was stabbed in Preston Road, Brent, shortly after 11.30pm. He was taken to hospital but died the following morning.
• February 26: Ahmed Beker, 19, was stabbed in Paddington Green, west London, just after 9.10pm. He was treated by paramedics and an air ambulance team but died at the scene.
• March 3: Tai Jordan O’Donnell, 19, from Croydon, south London, was stabbed a number of times in the legs at a house in Alpha Road just after 12.10pm. He was pronounced dead within minutes of emergency crews arriving at the scene.
• March 6: Mazaza Owusu-Mensah, 18, died when he was stabbed in the chest during a fight in Edington Road, Abbey Wood, south-east London, at around 5.30pm.  
• March 6: Ezra Okobia, 14, was fatally injured by fumes from a fire at his home in Russett Way, Lewisham, south-east London, shortly before 6am. He was taken to hospital but died four days later. His five-year-old brother Joseph Okobia and mother Victoria Amaning, 34, also died after inhaling fumes. Police believe Ms Amaning started the blaze.  

• March 8: Nikolay Vandev, 19, was stabbed along with a second victim, aged 18, in Penshurst Road, Tottenham, north London, shortly before 2pm. Mr Vandev was pronounced dead at the scene, while the 18-year-old was taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening stab wounds.
• March 17: Hussain Chaudhry, 18, was stabbed in Lea Bridge Road, Walthamstow, east London, at around 5.20pm. Police and an ambulance crew attended but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
• April 10: Levi Ernest-Morrison, 17, was stabbed in Sydenham Road, Sydenham, south-east London at around 7.20pm.
• April 23: Fares Maatou, 14, was stabbed in Barking Road, Newham, east London, just before 4pm. Emergency services tried to save him but he was pronounced dead just over half an hour later.
• April 26: Abubakkar ‘Junior’ Jah, 18, was found in Coolfin Road, Newham, east London, at around 3.45pm having been shot and stabbed. He died at the scene.
• May 7: Daniel Laskos, 16, was stabbed in Church Road, Harold Wood, east London, just after 6.40pm, during a fight. Ambulance and air ambulance teams tried to save him but he died at the scene.
• June 8: Taylor Cox, 19, was shot in Hornsey Rise Gardens, Islington, north London, at around 4.25pm.
• June 10: Denardo Samuels-Brooks, 17, was stabbed in Prentis Road, Streatham, south London, at around 4.15pm. He was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
• June 11: Jalan Woods-Bell, 15, was stabbed in a fight at around 8.30am during the school run in Blyth Road, Hayes, west London.
• June 25: Tashawn Watt, 19, was stabbed in Miall Walk, Sydenham, south-east London, just after 9.30pm. He was treated by an ambulance crew but died at the scene.
• July 1: Camron Smith, 16, was stabbed in Bracken Avenue, Shrublands, Croydon, south London, at around 12.45am. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
• July 5: Tamim Ian Habimana, 15, was stabbed in Woolwich, south-east London.
• July 5: Keane Flynn-Harling, 16, from Lambeth, south London, was stabbed in Oval Place, south London, at around 11.45pm.
• July 9: Damarie Omare Roye, 16, was stabbed in Bensham Manor Road, Thornton Heath, south London. He was taken to hospital but died two days later.
• August 1: Stelios Averkiou, 16, was stabbed at a skate park in Lordship Recreation Ground, Tottenham, north London, at around 2.15pm. He died nine days later.
• September 1: Alex Ajanaku, 18, was found in Beaumont Road, Leyton, east London, with shotgun wounds at around 1.30am. He was treated by police and paramedics but died at the scene.
• October 12: Hazrat Wali, 18, was stabbed to death in a playing field in Craneford Way, Twickenham.
• October 28: Kamran Khalid, 18, was stabbed to death in Harrow Road, Ilford.
• November 18: Jermaine Cools, 14, suffered stab wounds and died after a fight in London Road in Croydon. A murder investigation was launched after the incident. 
• November 24: The Met was called to Raleigh Road in Southall at just after 9pm after reports of a stabbing following a fight involving a group of people. Officers attended and found 16-year-old Rishmeet Singh suffering stab wounds. He died at the scene a short time later.
• December 30: Police were called to Ashburton Park in Croydon, south London, shortly after 7pm but an unnamed 15-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
• December 30: An unnamed 16-year-old boy was found with stab wounds by police at 7.34pm in Hillingdon, west London. Despite efforts from paramedics he was pronounced dead at the scene.

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