Five guilty of stabbing Leonardo Reid, 15, to death in double murder during rap video shoot after teen mistook for rival

The Sun

4 days ago

A VIOLENT criminal due to be deported nine years ago was yesterday convicted of a double murder.
Jason Furtado, 28, was one of five men found guilty of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Shekaj Slevi after mistaking them as rival gang members.
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The victims were stabbed to death when Furtado's gang attacked a group of around 40 people watching a rap video shoot on an estate in Islington, North London.
It can now be revealed how the Home Office first tried to deport Portuguese national Furtado in February 2016 but he launched at least two appeals to avoid eviction from the UK.
The prolific criminal carried on his crime spree while appealing his deportation notice, carrying out vicious robberies and almost killing four people.
He was jailed for four years in 2017 after crashing a stolen car into a group of people outside an Islington pub, leaving three men and a woman with life-threatening injuries.
But even then, Furtado, whose parents are from Angolan and claimed asylum in the UK three months before he was born, still avoided deportation.
An immigration appeal panel ruled he was entitled to the highest 'imperative' level of protection from deportation because he had been resident in the UK for more than 10 years.
He and Kosovan co-defendant Lorik Lupqi, 21, were both on electronic tags when they took part in the June 2023 murders of Leonardo and Shekaj.
Lupqi fled back to Kosovo after the attacks and was extradited to the UK in November last year.
His brother Dior Lupqi is already serving a life sentence for an Islington gang murder.
Dior was only 15 when he stabbed Nashon Esbrand, 27, to death in August 2017 and was given a minimum 12-year tariff.
It can also be reported that a third defendant convicted yesterday, Abel Chunda, 29, has 97 previous convictions for offences including robbery, assault and possessing knives.
Eden Clark, 31, and Xavier Poponne, 22, were also both convicted of two counts of murder.
In addition, the infamous five were convicted of attempting to murder Abdulla Abdullahi, 28, who was also stabbed in the attack.
The defendants - all from North London - had fought among themselves in the dock during the 15-week trial.
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Detective Inspector Jim Barry of Specialist Crime North said 'These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members.
"This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi's loved ones.'
The horror double murder unfolded on Thursday, 29 June 2023.
There had been a large gathering on the Elthorne estate to film a rap music video, the Met Police said.
Lupqi, a gang member from Islington, spotted the group at around 8:30pm.
He messaged his girlfriend stating that 'opps were outside.'
She urged him to stay inside, but Lupqi decided to message his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.
They planned to meet up with three other gang members and go to the Elthorne estate.
When they arrived, most people had gone, but a couple of local youngsters were still kicking about.
The gang thugs then fatally stabbed 15-year-old Leonardo Reid, who sadly died at the scene and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj who died in hospital.
They also stabbed another man, who was taken to hospital.
Met Police's Specialist Crime Command launched a double murder and attempted murder investigation.
Enquiries found the gang had contacted each other through 50 short phone calls in the two hours leading up to the attack.
After the brutal stabbing, the four went to Abel Chunda's house and called organiser Furtado.
Chuna and Furtado were arrested on July 3.
Clarke had fled to the Suffolk coast and tried to disguise himself, but Met Officers located and detained him on July 12.
Lupqi illegally travelled to Kosovo days after the murders and told his girlfriend not to wait for him.
The force worked with the Kosovan authorities, the National Crime Agency as well as the CPS, to extradite him to the UK.
Officers cuffed him at Luton Airport on 12 November 2024.
After Poponne's arrest in November 2023, lyrics were found in a drill song written the day after the murders.
The disgusting words had glorified the murders and made references to elements of the attack which could only be known to those involved.
The lyrics highlighted how Leonardo and Klevi were not involved in gang criminality.
Shortly after the murders, Poponne also changed his social media name to 'X3' referencing the number of people he had stabbed.
The group denied murder throughout their trial.
They all appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 23 July where they were all convicted of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Detective Inspector Jim Barry added: 'Our team have remained focused on getting justice for those affected by this violent and unnecessary attack.
'This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim's shattered families for longer.
'I thank the members of the public who tried to help and save the lives of those injured and have assisted our team with enquiries.
'We will continue to tackle violent offenders and ensure that justice is bought for the safety of our communities.'
Sentencing was adjourned until 25 September when they will face mandatory life sentences
Detective Inspector Jim Barry of Specialist Crime North said 'These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members.
'This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi's loved ones.'
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