Two teenage friends aged just 14 and 15 were killed in gang-related machete attacks four months apart, it can now be reported.
Daejaun Campbell cried out “I’m 15, don’t let me die” after he was ambushed in Woolwich, south-east London, on September 22 last year, the Old Bailey heard.
On Wednesday, a boy aged 17, was found guilty of his murder after a jury deliberated for more than 19 hours.
Co-accused Marko Balaz, 19, from Abbey Wood, south-east London, was found not guilty of murder, but convicted of manslaughter.
A third defendant, Jacob Losiewicz, 18, also from Abbey Wood, was cleared of wrongdoing.
It can now be reported that Daejaun was friends with 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was fatally stabbed by two 16-year-old boys with machetes on a bus in Woolwich months later on January 7.
Aspiring rapper Kelyan, nicknamed Grippa, had featured in a YouTube music video entitled Gotta Eat – in which he was seen crouching beside a floral tribute to Daejaun.
Last Friday, two 16-year-old youths were detained for at least 15 years and 10 months after pleading guilty at the Old Bailey to Kelyan’s murder.
The two boys’ murders, though not directly related, bore striking similarities and have resulted in pleas by their families to end the “senseless killings”.
Last week, Kelyan’s mother Marie Bokassa made an appeal for authorities to do more to stop the violence, saying: “Our streets are bleeding.”
In the wake of Daejaun’s murder, his family released a statement in which Daejaun was described as “naturally gifted, intelligent, creative and musically talented”.
They said: “The brutal manner which Daejaun was taken away from us is sad, and he not the first young person nor will he be the last, this senseless killing needs to stop.”
Both killings had been linked to street gang culture with Daejaun described as being exploited and groomed by older youths.
Daejaun was allegedly targeted for a “gang check” when he was spotted near a house the defendants were visiting.
Prosecutor Mukul Chawla KC had said he was attacked by Balaz and the 17-year-old boy.
He said a witness had heard Daejaun screaming and calling for “help” as he was stabbed.
He also threw a large knife that he was carrying although it appears to have only hit a metal fence or railing and broken into pieces, the court had heard.
The 17-year-old attacker was caught on video dropping his machete and leaning down to pick it up as he made off.
Daejaun fell to his knees in the street having suffered two stab wounds and six superficial cuts.
Losiewicz had driven the others to the scene and was nearby, the court had heard.
Mr Chawla told jurors the motive for the killing was unclear but that Daejaun had been carrying money and drugs, possibly crack cocaine.
He said: “He may therefore have been a person exploited, by reason of his age if for no other reason, to be used as carrier and supplier of drugs by organisations that will use younger people and other vulnerable people for those purposes.
“That may be or may have been the reason why he was attacked.”
The two older defendants admitted being at the scene but denied being involved in Daejaun’s killing.
The 17-year-old youth admitted the killing but claimed he acted in self defence and alone.
He had previously pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon – a machete – in a public place.
The 17-year-old also had previous convictions for carrying a “kukri” style knife in 2021 and having a machete and affray relating to a fight in October 2023 in which a male suffered a cut to his face and a stab wound.
The court heard Balaz had previous convictions for carrying knives and possession of cannabis. Mr Losiewicz had no convictions to his name.
Following the guilty verdicts, Balaz and the youth were remanded into custody to be sentenced on October 6.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: “Daejaun’s murder shocked the local community and will forever impact his grieving family and those who loved him.
“I commend the strength of Daejaun’s family, in particular his mother, throughout this awful ordeal.
“She has demonstrated exceptional courage and composure throughout this trial and has become an advocate to raise awareness of the dangers of young people carrying knives and the devastation that knife violence causes.”
