Three Sentenced for Brutal Ilford Murder
Three men were handed hefty prison sentences at the Old Bailey for the savage killing of Lee Baxter in Ilford.
- Syd Goss, 22, of Huntsman Road, Ilford – 29 years behind bars
- Jermaine Forrester, 25, of Ley Street, Ilford – 29 years in prison
- Ryan Graham, 27, of Farnham Road, Ilford – 27 years locked up
The trio was convicted on May 19 after a six-week trial at the same court.
Detective Slams “Senseless” Murder
“Lee Baxter was not a master criminal nor a drug mastermind,” said Detective Inspector Adam Callaghan, who led the murder probe. “The circumstances of his death do not overshadow the utter senselessness of this crime. Lee was a loving father who died in the most violent way possible. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”
He added, “Goss, Forrester, and Graham planned to rob Lee using violence. They were armed with knives, while Lee was completely unarmed. He didn’t go to Pavilion Terrace expecting an attack.”
How the Fatal Attack Unfolded
On October 9, 2020, Lee Baxter and a friend drove to Pavilion Terrace, Ilford, to buy £5,000 worth of cannabis.
Lee had never met Syd Goss, Jermaine Forrester, or Ryan Graham before—and didn’t know at least one was carrying a knife.
After showing the men a large sum of money during negotiations, Lee started to walk away when it became clear no drugs were coming. That’s when the attack began.
- Forrester led the assault, putting Lee in a headlock and forcing him to the ground.
- Graham joined in, stabbing/" title="Stabbing" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">stabbing Lee multiple times.
- Goss targeted Lee’s friend, who made it back to the car unharmed before Goss rejoined the attack.
The fatal stab struck Lee’s femoral artery and vein, causing catastrophic blood loss.
As Lee lay dying, the attackers fled in a waiting car.
Swift Police Action Brings Killers to Justice
Lee’s friend immediately called police and tried to save him, putting him in the recovery position. Witnesses also attempted to help, but Lee succumbed to his wounds at the scene and was pronounced dead at 10.31 p.m.
The police launched a murder investigation right away, and witness testimonies quickly identified Goss, Forrester, and Graham as suspects.
- Goss and Forrester were arrested on October 21, 2020.
- Graham was arrested the following day.
Two knives were found at the flat shared by Goss and Forrester, cleaned thoroughly without bloodstains. However, heavily bloodstained clothes were discovered in the washing machine, later confirmed to have the killers’ blood.
Forensic examination of their getaway car, caught on CCTV fleeing the scene, revealed Lee’s blood in the back where Forrester and Graham had been sitting.
Justice has finally caught up with these violent killers, locking them away for decades.
