A tenacious investigation by Met detectives has resulted in four men being convicted of murdering Kacey Boothe in Walthamstow.
Ka’mani Brightly-Donaldson, Kammar Henry-Richards, Joao Pateco-te and Jeffrey Gyimah were found guilty at the Old Bailey on Monday, 11 December and Tuesday, 12 December following a trial lasting ten weeks.
They were also convicted of conspiracy to murder another man and conspiracy to possess a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Kacey, who was aged 25, was shot dead in Forest Rise on 13 August 2022 as he left a children’s birthday party at the Peterhouse Community Centre.
Officers were called at around 21:20hrs and arrived to find Kacey had already been taken to hospital. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he later died.
Homicide detectives from the Specialist Crime Command began an investigation which involved trawling hours of CCTV footage to identify the suspects.
It was through this extensive work and witness accounts that detectives identified the shooter had left the scene in a stolen car.
These enquiries resulted in warrants being executed at addresses in north London with a total of six arrests being made.
Officers discovered that Kacey and the defendants were linked to rival gangs in north London and had already been involved in a number of violent incidents.
However, it is believed that Kacey was not the intended target of the shooting, and the killers had instead been intending to kill another man.
Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, whose team carried out the investigation, said: “I would like to commend my team for their tenacious and dedicated investigation, trawling through hours of CCTV, analysing mobile phones and speaking with a number of witnesses to piece together the exact movements of these individuals prior to this deadly attack.
“I am pleased to see these men held responsible for their actions and hope this serves as a warning to other people who involve themselves in gang related violence, that we will take robust action.
“Ultimately, a family have lost their loved one and for this my thoughts remain with Kacey’s family and friends at this time. I hope today’s verdict will help them to move forward.”
A fifth man, Roody Thomas, had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm.
They will all be sentenced at the same court on a date to be confirmed in January.
The jury failed to reach a verdict in relation to a sixth man and a re-trial will take place in due course.
Details of the defendants
Ka’mani Brightly-Donaldson, (10.11.99), of High Street, Ponders End
Kammar Henry-Richards, (13.05.98), of Cambrian Road, E10
Jeffrey Gyimah, (12.12.01), of Queensbridge Road, Hackney
Joao Pateco-te (06.10.96), of Chelmer Road, Hackney
Roody Thomas (16.09.97), of Berger Road, E9
