Sword attacker guilty of murdering schoolboy and injuring five more in rampage
A sword attacker has been found guilty of murdering a schoolboy and injuring five others during a drug-induced rampage in north-east London.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, killed 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin with a samurai sword and seriously wounded police officers, a pedestrian, and a couple in their home during a 20-minute spree in Hainault on April 30 last year.
He had entered a state of psychosis brought on by his own cannabis use, the Old Bailey heard.
Witnesses described the former Amazon delivery driver screaming 'in delight' and smiling after mortally wounding Daniel, who had been walking to school in his PE kit.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors it was 'miraculous' that more people were not killed as Monzo slashed and chopped at whoever he came across.
Monzo had killed and skinned his pet cat Wizard before he ran amok armed with two swords.
As well as killing Daniel, Monzo, who had a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, attacked pedestrian Donato Iwule, police officers Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield and Inspector Moloy Campbell, and couple Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania in their home.
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.
Even though Monzo admitted he had drunk a hallucinogenic tea called ayahuasca, no trace of DMT, the class A drug in the brew, was detected in his system.
The court also heard how Monzo had made 'stabbing motions' re-enacting the violence when he chatted about 'killing films' with a member of staff at Broadmoor secure psychiatric hospital.
An Old Bailey jury found Monzo guilty of Daniel's murder, three charges of attempted murder, relating to Mr Iwule, Ms Arias, and Pc Mechem-Whitfield.
He was also found guilty of wounding with intent, relating to Mr De Los Rios Polania, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
He was cleared of attempted murder in relation to Mr De Los Rios Polania but found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Monzo, who showed no emotion as the verdicts were read out, previously admitted having the samurai sword used to kill Daniel and a katana sword found in his van.
It took jurors three days to reach their verdicts.
He will be sentenced on Friday June 27, the court heard.
Daniel's parents had sat in court throughout the trial when harrowing CCTV and police body worn video had been played.
The court had heard how Monzo launched the series of attacks by driving his grey Ford Transit van into Mr Iwule, who was 'catapulted' into a nearby garden before the vehicle smashed into a concrete pillar and fence.
He went on to hit Mr Iwule in the neck with his sword before running away, the court was told.
He then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, jurors heard.
Witness Maria Olmos said Monzo dropped to his knees and held his hands up after mortally wounding the schoolboy.
She said: 'At the time of doing so he let out an extremely loud scream.
'It wasn't a scream of pain, it was a scream of delight – my interpretation was he was celebrating.'
Pc Mechem-Whitfield was hit three times with the 60cm long blade with 'extreme force' as she chased Monzo through alleyways and residential properties.
Next he entered a property and attacked Ms Arias and Mr De Los Rios Polania, who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby.
Monzo demanded to know if they 'believe in God' before he left the property.
Inspector Moloy Campbell tried to detain Monzo in a car park and received a slash wound to his hand.
The defendant then climbed on to the roof of a garage before he was finally apprehended.
Following his arrest, Monzo claimed his personality had switched and that 'something happened, like a game happening'.
In his evidence, Monzo described being bullied growing up in Brazil before his family moved to Britain in 2013.
He practised mixed martial arts (MMA) until an injury in 2016 led him to explore yoga and the 'magical, miraculous and supernatural' aspects of spirituality, he said.
He began to follow a guru on YouTube, spent a year at a retreat in India and took ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America.
Kirsty O'Connor, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The CPS maintained throughout that Arduini Monzo's mental state was driven by his own cannabis misuse which meant that he was fully responsible for the devastation he caused last year.
'The jury, by their unequivocal verdicts, have accepted the prosecution case.
'Our hearts go out to Daniel Anjorin's family and friends who have suffered his unimaginable loss in horrific circumstances, and our thoughts remain with all of the victims who continue to recover from their injuries and trauma.
'I would also like to pay tribute to the brave police officers and emergency workers who faced Marcos Arduini Monzo on that terrifying day in April 2024, putting their own personal safety at risk in the line of duty.
'The courage shown by Pc Mechem-Whitfield, Pc King, Inspector Campbell and others who selflessly sought to apprehend Arduini Monzo whilst facing extreme personal danger was exceptional and undoubtedly prevented further loss of life.
'We all owe them a debt of gratitude.'
Jaswant Narwal, chief crown prosecutor, said: 'There was no doubt Arduini Monzo was in the grips of a psychotic episode, but the challenge for our specialist homicide prosecutors in this case was proving that his mental state was the result of his cannabis misuse, not an underlying mental health condition such as schizophrenia.
'This matters, because by proving Arduini Monzo's psychosis was the result of his own actions, our prosecutors could bring charges of murder, as opposed to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.'
Speaking outside court following the verdicts, Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell said: 'I would like to pay my respects to Daniel's family.
'There are no words to express how sorry we are for your loss or how much admiration we have for your courage and dignity.
'It is hard to comprehend the unimaginable pain that you must have suffered in this last year.
'I can only hope that today's verdict brings some semblance of justice and relief to you, and that you're able to grieve in peace.
'Our thoughts remain with those who have been impacted by this terrible incident.'
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