Man Found Guilty of Killing Nigerian Teen Daniel Anjorin in London Sword Attack

A London court has found 37-year-old Marcus Aurelio Arduini-Monzo guilty of the brutal murder of 14-year-old Nigerian schoolboy, Daniel Anjorin, during a shocking sword attack in northeast London.

The Spanish-Brazilian national was convicted on Wednesday at the Central Criminal Court of murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.

Daniel Anjorin, the youngest in a Nigerian family living in Hainault, was walking home from school on April 30, 2024, when he was ambushed just 14 metres from his house. The court heard that the teenager, wearing headphones, did not hear the screams of neighbours as Arduini-Monzo approached with a 2-foot samurai sword.

Prosecutors described the attack as frenzied and merciless. A post-mortem examination revealed Daniel died from sharp force trauma to the head, with the assailant nearly decapitating him before delivering multiple stab wounds.

“This was an unimaginably horrific attack on a young boy returning home from school. The jury, by their unequivocal verdicts, have accepted the prosecution case,” said Kirsty O’Connor of the Crown Prosecution Service. “Our hearts go out to Daniel Anjorin’s family and friends, who have suffered his unimaginable loss in horrific circumstances.”

The sword attack was part of a 20-minute rampage in which Arduini-Monzo injured four others, including Constable Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield, who sustained life-altering injuries while attempting to subdue him. She suffered a fractured skull and severe nerve damage.

The attacker also broke into a home, assaulting a man in front of his wife and four-year-old daughter, before being tasered and arrested after striking a police inspector.

During the trial, jurors viewed bodycam and CCTV footage of the attack. Arduini-Monzo, a former Amazon delivery driver, admitted to owning the weapons but claimed he had no intent to kill, insisting he planned to display the swords. He attributed his actions to cannabis-induced psychosis, saying he believed the Earth was flat and 9/11 was a hoax. He also admitted to previously killing and attempting to eat his cat while under the influence of hallucinogens.

Prosecutors, however, argued that his psychosis was not a medical condition but a direct result of drug use, making him fully accountable for his actions.

Daniel’s grieving parents attended the court proceedings and expressed their devastation as they continue to struggle with the loss of their only son.

Sentencing for Arduini-Monzo is scheduled for Friday.