Man guilty of murdering boy with sword in Hainault

LONDON – In a harrowing culmination of a trial that exposed the chilling details of a random and unprovoked attack, Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, has been found guilty of the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, who was tragically killed with a samurai sword while walking to school in Hainault, East London.

The verdict, delivered at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, also saw Monzo convicted of three counts of attempted murder, one count of grievous bodily harm (having been cleared of a more serious count of attempted murder), aggravated burglary, and possession of an offensive weapon.

Monzo, a dual Spanish-Brazilian national, had previously admitted to possessing the two samurai swords used in the rampage but denied all other charges.

The devastating incident unfolded on the morning of April 30, 2024, in what was described by prosecutors as a 20-minute spree of indiscriminate violence. The court heard how Monzo, under the influence of cannabis and experiencing what the prosecution argued was a self-induced psychotic episode, set out with a clear intention to kill as many people as he could. His rampage began just after 7:00 AM, moments after police started receiving reports of a vehicle collision.
The horrifying sequence of events detailed in court began with Monzo deliberately driving his grey Ford Transit van into his first victim, catapulting him into a nearby garden. Monzo then pursued the injured man, slashing him in the neck with a samurai sword before the victim bravely managed to escape.
It was shortly after this initial attack that Daniel Anjorin, a bright and gentle 14-year-old, became Monzo's next victim. Daniel was walking to school, wearing headphones, and tragically did not hear the desperate shouts of a neighbor attempting to warn him. Witnesses described seeing Monzo running up behind Daniel and swinging the sword towards him. The fatal blow inflicted by Monzo resulted in what prosecutors described as a "near-decapitation," an "absolutely unsurvivable" injury caused by an "extreme level of force.

" Daniel dropped to his knees and held his hands up after being mortally wounded. The court was told that Daniel's cause of death was sharp force trauma to the head. His parents sat in court throughout the trial, enduring the harrowing CCTV and police body-worn video footage that depicted the horrific events.
Following the attack on Daniel, Monzo's rampage continued. When police officers arrived at the scene and attempted to assist Daniel, Monzo sprang from nearby bushes and bolted. PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield bravely gave chase through alleyways, only for Monzo to strike her three times with the 60cm blade, using "extreme force." Police Commissioner Mark Rowley stated that PC Mechem-Whitfield was "horrifically" injured and nearly lost one of her hands in the attack.
Monzo then entered a nearby house through the back door, where he attacked a sleeping couple, Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania, reportedly asking them, "Do you believe in God?" He was cleared of one count of attempted murder in relation to Henry De Los Rios Polania but found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The spree finally came to an end when Monzo was cornered by police. He struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before being disarmed and arrested after attempting to climb onto a garage to escape. Doorbell footage captured the moment officers shouted, "Don't move, don't f****** move," as he was brought to the ground by three separate taser discharges.
During the trial, Monzo claimed he had no memory of carrying out the attacks and wept while giving evidence, stating he did not intend to harm anyone. He told jurors he had previously used psychedelic drugs and smoked cannabis "three or four times a week." Monzo also made bizarre claims, stating he believed the world was flat and that the 9/11 terrorist attack was "probably" a conspiracy theory. He had also claimed a voice in his head told him to kill his pet cat, Wizard, and then eat it to replenish energy, though he did not eat the animal.
However, prosecutors argued that Monzo's conduct was brought about by self-induced intoxication from cannabis use, leading to a psychotic disorder that did not meet the requirements for a partial defence of diminished responsibility. Kirsty O'Connor of the Crown Prosecution Service affirmed that Monzo was "fully responsible for the devastation he caused last year."

Monzo's social media presence also came under scrutiny, revealing a disturbing fascination with violence, conspiracy theories, Incel ideology, and far-right extremism, including an interest in controversial figures like Andrew Tate. His online profile also showed a keen interest in traditional Japanese samurai and katana swords. He was described as a "talented martial artist," and the jury was shown footage of him unboxing a samurai sword, calling it "freaking sexy" while making various moves.

The verdict brings a degree of justice to the family of Daniel Anjorin and the other victims of Monzo's rampage. Daniel was described by the Metropolitan Police as a "talented, gentle, bright young man. A much-loved son and brother, brutally murdered simply walking to school at what should have been the start of a normal day at the start of a promising life." Monzo is set to be sentenced on Friday, June 28, 2024, bringing an end to a truly horrific chapter for the Hainault community and a family devastated by an act of senseless violence.
Source@BBC