Marcus Monzo, a 37-year-old Spanish-Brazilian man, is facing life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering 14-year-old British-Nigerian schoolboy Daniel Anjorin during a violent rampage in northeast London.
A jury at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) convicted Monzo on Wednesday of Daniel’s murder, along with three counts of attempted murder, one count of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed weapon.
The court heard that on April 30, 2024, Monzo launched a 20-minute spree of random and brutal attacks in Hainault.
Daniel was on his way to school when Monzo approached from behind and struck him with a sword, delivering a fatal blow to the side of his head and neck.
In an emotional statement, Daniel’s family said:
“Daniel left the house for school and never returned. Our children have lost a precious brother, and we have lost the most amazing son.”
Monzo, who has a blue belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, also attacked several others during the incident, including a pedestrian, two police officers, and a couple in their home.
He later claimed to have no memory of the attacks and said he was experiencing a mental health episode, citing spiritual beliefs and use of ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic brew.
Prosecutors rejected this defence, arguing that any psychotic state was self-induced.
No traces of the drug DMT, a key ingredient in ayahuasca, were found in his system.
The jury was told that Monzo compared the attacks to scenes from the movie The Hunger Games, and described himself as a “professional assassin” in conversations while in custody.
He was also found guilty of wounding another victim, Henry De Los Rios Polania, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
During the rampage, Monzo drove his van into a pedestrian, struck another with a sword, and nearly decapitated Daniel.
Witnesses said he screamed loudly in apparent celebration after the killing.
He continued his assault by attacking police officers and entering a home where he assaulted a couple, demanding to know if they believed in God.
Monzo was eventually subdued after climbing onto a garage roof, where he was arrested.
The court learned that Monzo had a history of spiritual exploration, martial arts, and time spent at a retreat in India. He moved to the UK in 2013 after being bullied in Brazil.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday at the Old Bailey.