Two people from south London have been jailed for the manslaughter of a “kind, loving, and vibrant” man whose body was discovered hidden in a car.
Lewis Benjamin, 30, and Jamal Ali-Richards, 29, were sentenced this month following an eight-week trial over the disappearance of Justin Henry two years ago.
Mr Henry, 34, was reported missing on Monday, October 16 2023 after failing to return home the previous night with his girlfriend.
He was last spotted on CCTV stopping his silver Mercedes E-Class at a McDonald's drive-thru in Croydon, south London before driving to Waddon New Road.
After two hours, Mr Henry’s saloon was moved 4 miles away to Kingswood Drive, which raised suspicions from the Metropolitan Police.
When officers visited Benjamin's property in Waddon New Road, they found it had been stripped of furniture and carpets.
Forensic teams uncovered blood on the walls of the flat, alongside black plastic bags containing a stained carpet.
Benjamin was arrested on October 24 2023. He also refused to answer questions while in custody.
Ali-Richards, of Thornlaw Road in Norwood, surrendered to Scotland Yard and was charged alongside Benjamin.
Henry’s body was located in the boot of a red Nissan Ameira, which Benjamin purchased, parked off Dale Road in Purley on November 6 that year.
Earlier this year at Woolwich Crown Court, both men pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice, having attempted to destroy evidence into Mr Henry’s passing.
On Thursday September 11, Benjamin was sentenced to 20 years and Ali-Richards received eight years and six months over the death.
Revealing the "agonising" toll the court proceedings had on their lives, Mr Henry’s family said in a statement: “Justin was a kind, loving, and vibrant soul whose life was taken far too soon.
“The pain of his disappearance and the unimaginable circumstances surrounding his death have left a void in our lives that can never be filled.
"Since October 2023, we have endured an agonising wait for answers. While we are grateful that justice has been served in part, and those responsible for Justin’s death have been held accountable, no verdict can ever bring him back to us or ease the sorrow we carry every day.”
