A man’s discarded cigarettes played a key role in solving a murder in Croydon, where a father was tragically killed just before Christmas.
Croydon: So, here’s the scoop. A guy named Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto was stabbed to death just days before Christmas last year. It all went down in Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath, around 10:30 PM.
Detectives found out that a group of men had been hanging out in a white BMW for about half an hour before Michael and a friend showed up in their car. When Michael stepped out, he was met by a dude with a big knife who stabbed him multiple times, even in the chest, as he tried to get back inside.
Things got worse when the suspects threatened his friend with the knife and forced her out of the car before stealing it. Luckily, the car was found abandoned not too far away.
Fast forward to the trial at the Old Bailey, where Zak Baako was found guilty of murder. His buddies, John Budal and Omari Peat, were also in the mix. Budal got hit with manslaughter and robbery charges, while Peat was found guilty of robbery but not murder or manslaughter.
All three are set to be sentenced on January 13. Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe mentioned how Baako came ready to use that knife, leaving Michael’s family, including his young son, heartbroken. This Christmas will be tough for them, but hopefully, this verdict helps them start to heal.