A man has been convicted of fatally stabbing Ricardo Clarke on Linacre Road, Willesden Green, before calmly dialling 999 from a phone box to hand himself in.
Cold-Blooded Killer Turns Himself In
Elyas Moussa, 30, with no fixed address, was found guilty of Ricardo Clarke’s murder on Wednesday, 3 December, after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey.
Police were called at 4.16am on Saturday, 28 December 2024, following reports of a stabbing on Linacre Road. Officers arrived to find Ricardo, 35, critically injured. Despite paramedics’ best efforts, he died on the way to hospital.
Evidence Paints Grim Picture of Deadly Night
Detective Inspector Jonny Newell from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command revealed how Moussa’s own confession quickly gave police the lead they needed.
“Despite Moussa handing himself in, officers worked quickly to meticulously piece together what happened that night. The CCTV timeline, witness accounts and forensic evidence left no doubt that Moussa alone was responsible for Ricardo’s death. Today’s conviction brings justice for Ricardo’s family, who have shown incredible strength throughout the proceedings.”
Footage shown during the trial exposed a grim sequence: Ricardo and Moussa first clashed in an altercation involving thrown glass bottles. After temporarily going their separate ways, Moussa returned armed with a knife, sparking the fatal confrontation.
Killer’s Arrest and Upcoming Sentence
Moussa made a call from a phone box miles away later that day, stating he wanted to surrender. He was arrested and charged the next day with murder and possession of a bladed article.
Earlier, he admitted to possession of a pointed and bladed article in public on 28 December.
Sentencing will take place at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 17 December.
