Samurai sword killer jailed for at least 40 years for murdering boy, 14, in psychotic drug-fuelled rampage
by Flaminia Luck and Danielle de Wolfe · LBCBy Flaminia Luck and Danielle de Wolfe
The Hainault sword attacker - Marcus Anduini Monzo - has been jailed for 40 years for the murder of Daniel Anjorin, 14.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, had gone into a cannabis-induced psychosis when he killed schoolboy Daniel Anjorin with a samurai sword.
The court heard how Monzo then proceeded to go on a rampage, entering the house of one family and standing over them as they lay in their bed, before going on to attack the schoolboy and police officers with the sword.
The 20-minute rampage saw the schoolboy slain in what his father described as a "wicked" attack on April 30 last year.
In a televised sentencing, Mr Justice Bennathan jailed Monzo for life with a minimum term of 40 years for murder and attacking three more members of the public and two police officers.
The judge described how Monzo had skinned his own cat before de-boning it in the run up to the fatal rampage.
Read more: Four arrested over Palestine Action break-in at RAF Brize Norton
The former Amazon delivery driver screamed "in delight" and smilied after mortally wounding Daniel, who had been walking to school in his PE kit.
Daniel was nearly decapitated in the sword rampage.
A pedestrian, two police officers and a couple in their own home were also attacked.
Monzo also killed, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before taking to the streets and carrying out the murderous rampage.
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors it was "miraculous" that more people weren't killed as Monzo slashed and chopped at whoever he came across over 20 minutes.
Doorbell footage shows the moment officers shout: "Don't move, don't f****** move", after he was brought to the ground by three separate taser discharges.
Earlier, Daniel’s father Dr Ebenezer Anjorin condemned Monzo’s “wicked” actions as he described losing his son as his “worst nightmare”.
Speaking publicly about it for the first time, Dr Anjorin said in a statement: “On April 30 2024 at approximately 7am, Daniel left for school.
"At approximately 7.15am I was informed by my eldest son that Daniel had been stabbed on the road near my house.
"I ran outside the house and just across the road I saw a hunched-up body by the side of the road.
“I did not realise that it was Daniel at first but, as I got closer, I recognised the school sports clothes and saw his face.
“He was lying in a pool of blood and had a deep cut to his face running from the side of his mouth to the back of his neck. He was motionless.
"I knew at once that he was dead, but I reached down, called his name and held his head.”
After a few minutes, he called Daniel’s mother, who screamed and cried when she arrived home and saw paramedics trying to resuscitate her son, who died later in hospital.
Dr Anjorin said he could not begin to describe the “pain and anguish” the family felt at losing Daniel, who was academically gifted and enjoyed sports and music.
He said: “We will not see him get married or have children. All the normal things parents hope for their children.
“All these hopes and aspirations have been cruelly snatched away from us through the wicked actions of Marcus Monzo.
“It has been the worst nightmare experience of our lives. To have to go through the pain of losing a child in such a cruel and savage way. No family should have to go through this.”
In his sentencing, Mr Justice Bennathan paid tribute to Dr Anjorin’s “calm dignified” manner throughout the trial and said no sentence would “begin to temper” the grief of Daniel’s family.
He added: “All the police officers behaved with exemplary courage and put their lives on the line to protect the public they served."
Previously, the court heard how Monzo had killed and skinned his pet cat Wizard before running amok in Hainault, east London.
He drove his van into Donato Iwule who ran away screaming as Monzo got out of the vehicle and came at him with a sword.
Monzo then attacked Daniel from behind, causing unsurvivable neck injuries.
When Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield tried to detain Monzo, he repeatedly struck her with “savage” blows, causing severe injuries.
He erupted into the home of Henry De Los Rios Polania and Sindy Arias who had been asleep with their young child nearby.
Inspector Moloy Campbell cornered Monzo in a car park and ran in with his baton raised only to be slashed on the hand.
Officers eventually detained the delivery driver who had become psychotic from taking cannabis.
Afterwards, Monzo, who had viewed far right and misogynistic content on social media, likened events to the Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative persona of a “professional assassin”.
Following an Old Bailey trial, he was found guilty of Daniel’s murder, the attempted murder of Mr Iwule, Ms Arias and Pc Mechem-Whitfield.
He was convicted of wounding Mr De Los Rios Polania and Insp Campbell with intent.
He was also convicted of aggravated burglary and having an article with a blade or point. He admitted possessing the samurai sword used to kill Daniel and a katana sword found in his van.