Two young men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of their former friend, Lucas Sutton, in Croydon. The attack, motivated by a perceived betrayal, left Lucas dead and his family devastated.
Keahn Williams, 20, from Coulsdon, and Kai Nelson-Palmer, 17, from Croydon, were found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey in April 2024. The pair were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on August 14, 2024. Williams received a minimum term of 23 years, while Nelson-Palmer was sentenced to 16 years.
A Fatal Trap
The court heard that Lucas Sutton, 22, was lured to an address in Croydon under the pretense of meeting friends. On May 23, 2023, he walked to a flat on Princess Road and joined Williams and Nelson-Palmer. After a brief visit, the three left to buy drinks from a local shop.
However, unbeknownst to Lucas, his supposed friends had been plotting his murder through Snapchat messages. As they returned from the shop on Northbrook Road, Williams suddenly produced a knife and stabbed Lucas, catching him completely unaware.
Lucas, dropping the drinks he was carrying, tried to run for his life. Williams chased him down Mayo Road, where he stabbed him again. Despite his injuries, Lucas managed to stumble into a local pub and asked for help before collapsing on the floor. Despite emergency services arriving swiftly, he died shortly after in the hospital.
The Motive: A Perceived Betrayal
According to Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime Command, the attack stemmed from a perceived betrayal.
“Lucas and one of the defendants had been friends, but in the minds of the group, Lucas had crossed them by attempting to get rid of a firearm he had been holding onto. This perceived betrayal was the motivation for this deadly attack,” said DCI Howie.
The murder was described as a premeditated and callous act, planned meticulously through social media.
Evidence and Arrests
Following the murder, detectives analyzed CCTV footage that captured the attack. Williams was identified by his distinctive balaclava, which was later recovered from an address linked to him. Nelson-Palmer’s phone revealed messages detailing the plot to kill Lucas.
Both men were arrested in the week following the murder. A third man, aged 19, was acquitted of murder at the Old Bailey on April 3, 2025.
Family’s Heartbreak
In a heartfelt statement, Lucas’s family expressed their profound loss:
“The murder of Lucas has left a large hole in our lives which can never be filled. Lucas wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes but he was ours. He had a bright future ahead of him, but it has been taken away. They have not only taken away a nephew but a son, a grandson, a brother, a cousin, a father, a partner, a friend, and so much more.”
Lucas leaves behind a young son, who now faces growing up without his father.
“It breaks our heart that he will never see his Dad again. We sometimes see him watching his friends playing with their dads, and we just think he will never have that,” the family added.
Justice Delivered
DCI Howie praised the bravery of witnesses who came forward, saying,
“This was a tragic and senseless act, and while the sentencing brings some measure of justice, nothing can undo the pain caused to Lucas’s family and loved ones.”
The sentencing brings closure to a shocking case that highlights the devastating impact of youth violence and the consequences of betrayal among friends.
