A man has been found guilty of murdering a 14-year-old boy during a samurai sword rampage in East London.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, stabbed Daniel Anjorin during a 20-minute spree on April 30 last year in which he targeted members of the public and police officers.
A jury also convicted him of three counts of attempted murder, wounding with intent, aggravated burglary, and possessing a bladed article.
He was cleared of one count of attempted murder but found guilty of the lesser offence of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The 37-year-old had previously admitted carrying two samurai swords but denied all other charges.
Witnesses described the former Amazon delivery driver screaming “in delight” and smiling after the fatal attack.
Witness Maria Olmos said: “At the time of doing so he let out an extremely loud scream. It wasn’t a scream of pain, it was a scream of delight – my interpretation was he was celebrating.”
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors it was “miraculous” that more people were not killed during Monzo’s rampage, where he also attacked two police officers, a pedestrian and a couple in their own home.
The attacker claimed that he had no memory of what happened, claiming his mental state had diminished his responsibility for the crimes.
After the incident, videos posted by bystanders circulated online showing the attacker holding the sword and walking around a residential street.
Monzo claimed his personality had switched and that “something happened, like a game happening”.
The victim’s parents were present in court throughout the trial when CCTV and police body-worn video were played.
Marcus Arduini Monzo was seen holding a samurai sword-style blade while a large emergency presence was seen at Hainault Underground station
X
Monzo drove his grey Ford Transit van into Donato Iwule, who was “catapulted” into a nearby garden before the vehicle smashed into a concrete pillar and fence, the court heard.
He then attacked the teenager, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, with a samurai sword, jurors heard.
PC Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield, who was the officer chasing the attacker through a residential area, was hit three times with the 60cm long blade with “extreme force”.
Monzo entered a property where he demanded to know if a couple, who were sleeping upstairs with their young daughter, “believed in God”.