An investigation by homicide detectives has resulted in four men being convicted in connection with the death of Shea Gordon in Tower Hamlets.
The investigation used CCTV and extensive phone inquiries to show that Shea had been deliberately targeted by the four.
All the men appeared for trial at the Old Bailey and were convicted on Wednesday, 2 August as follows:
Kavian Vaughans, 18 (6.04.05) of Blaydon Close, N17 was convicted of murder.
Dainnan Witter-Cameron, 18 (15.02.05) of Galahad Road, Enfield, N9 was convicted of manslaughter.
Giovanni Addae-Johnson, 18 (9.03.05) of John La Rose Court, N17 was convicted of manslaughter.
Abdul Yaro, 19 (23.12.04) of Chesnut Road, N17 was convicted of murder.
All four were remanded in custody for sentencing at the same court on the week commencing Monday, 11 September.
On 3 September 2022, the victim, Shea Gordon was attending a birthday party at a hall on Lichfield Road, E5. Also invited was the defendant, Witter-Cameron. The venue of the party wasn’t made known until the day of the event.
The party was due to start at 19:00hrs. At around 17:30hrs the defendants were made aware of the location and Snapchat messages from their mobile phones later showed that they were planning to attend the party in order to attack Shea.
At the party, shortly before midnight, Witter-Cameron came outside and met up with the other three defendants, who had not been invited to the event. They walked around the area for a time before heading back to the party location at 23:55hrs. The party had ended at 23:30hrs and a large group of people had congregated outside.
Witnesses told police that the four defendants, all dressed in black, hooded and masked, walked toward the group with purpose. Those in the immediate vicinity began to scream.
CCTV showed people sprinting away from the venue toward Alloway Road. Shea, dressed in white, was already injured, as when he fled his blood was left on a parked car.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, who led the investigation, said: “We know that Shea, already injured, ran down Alloway Road and turned right into Morgan Street – he was being chased by the defendants and was running for his life.
“It was on Morgan Street that Shea was found with three stab wounds; two to his right leg, and the fatal wound, to his upper chest. A doctor and two nurses who lived on the street rushed to his aid and an Air Ambulance Doctor performed surgery on the street as he fought to re-start Shea’s heart, but sadly, Shea died from his injuries at the scene. He was just 17 years old.”
Addae-Johnson was also found on Morgan Street with knife injuries to his neck. He was treated by officers and medics at the scene before being taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries.
After the stabbings, Yaro and Vaughans made their way to Mile End Road, leaving a trail of blood behind them. The blood belonged to Yaro who had also been injured.
An investigation, launched by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, established that the four defendants had planned to attack Shea. The three not invited to the party didn’t even try to get into the event – they were walking around nearby streets waiting for Witter-Cameron to join them from the party so that their planned attack could be executed.
Vaughans, then aged 17, was arrested on 9 September 2022 on suspicion of murder.
Yaro, also then aged 17, was arrested on 13 September 2022 on suspicion of murder. His address was searched and his blood stained trainers and bed sheet were seized. He was found to have a partially healed knife injury on his upper chest.
Addae-Johnson was arrested on 21 September 2022 on suspicion of murder.
Witter-Cameron was originally treated as a witness. He had claimed to have seen the commotion outside the party and had followed to see what happened – he came across Addae-Johnson, injured, and had started chest compressions, but had fainted. He claimed that he didn’t know Addae-Johnson, and later that he did know him, but hadn’t seen him for about a year. These lies were contradicted by the regular contact on their mobile phones. Witter-Cameron was arrested on 21 September 2022 on suspicion of murder.
All four were charged on 20 October 2022 with the murder of Shea Gordon.
DCI Rogers added: “Three of the four defendants were aged 17 when Shea Gordon was murdered. They are all now aged over 18, and are therefore, being tried as adults. Shea’s family have been devastated by his loss, but they have been dignified and supportive throughout the inquiry and my thoughts and thanks go out to them. I sincerely hope that today’s verdicts bring a small measure of comfort to Shea’s loved ones”
