In a harrowing incident that left a community shattered, Marcos Arduini Monzo received a life sentence for the murder of a schoolboy with a samurai sword amid a drug-fueled psychotic episode.
Life Sentence for Man Who Killed Boy in Samurai Sword Attack
Life Sentence for Man Who Killed Boy in Samurai Sword Attack
Marcos Arduini Monzo is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin during a violent rampage in northeast London.
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the brutal murder of a 14-year-old boy during a violent rampage in northeast London last April. In a ruling handed down on Friday, Marcos Arduini Monzo was ordered to serve a minimum of 40 years behind bars before he may be eligible for parole.
The tragic incident occurred on April 30, 2024, when Monzo, 37, launched a violent 20-minute spree of terror through residential streets in Hainault. Witnesses captured footage of him shouting, “Is anybody here who believes in God?” as he violently attacked members of the public, including police officers, following the fatal attack on Daniel Anjorin, a schoolboy who was just walking to school.
The senseless violence unfolded shortly after 7 a.m. when Monzo, driving a van, struck a man on foot before exiting the vehicle brandishing a samurai sword. After the assaulted man managed to escape, Monzo pursued Daniel Anjorin, attacking him from behind mere yards from his home while the boy still had his school backpack on.
In the chaos, Monzo also assaulted a police vehicle, damaging it with his sword, and refused to heed officers’ demands to drop his weapon. The police, who are not routinely armed in the UK, pursued Monzo using batons and Tasers. During the ordeal, he injured a female officer, fracturing her skull, and entered a nearby home where he attacked a couple defending their daughter.
Judge Joel Bennathan emphasized the devastation inflicted during the rampage, describing how a seemingly peaceful neighborhood was turned into a scene of horror. Monzo was ultimately subdued by police and arrested. His erratic behavior was linked to a cannabis-induced psychosis, compounded by alarming online activity that hinted at extremist beliefs; however, prosecutors did not attribute any clear political motive to his acts.
Daniel Anjorin’s tragic death has left a deep impact on his family and community as they mourn the loss of a talented and beloved young boy.
