Teen Found Guilty of Murdering 18-Year-Old in Greenwich Flat
A 17-year-old male from Plumstead has been convicted of murdering 18-year-old Aron Warren at his Greenwich home. The verdict came after a tense Old Bailey trial on Tuesday, 4 June.
Knife Attack in Prior Street
The deadly stabbing/" title="Stabbing" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">stabbing happened at 9.35pm on 8 December 2018 inside Aron’s flat in Prior Street. The teenager stabbed Aron twice—once in the chest and once in the arm—before ransacking the flat and stealing multiple items, including two knives and a Rolex watch.
Witnesses saw the teen outside Aron’s third-floor flat at least five minutes before the attack, brandishing a large knife and threatening to “see Irish”, referring to Aron’s heritage. The suspect entered the flat, exchanged brief words with Aron, then launched the fatal attack.
Hunt and Arrest
Detectives from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command launched a swift investigation. Forensic experts found Aron’s blood on the defendant’s shoes. CCTV confirmed the suspect’s presence at the scene before and after the murder. A telling piece of evidence was a photo found on his iPad showing him posing with the stolen Rolex just five hours after the killing.
The teen was arrested on 11 December 2018 and charged two days later. During the trial, shocking CCTV footage revealed his violent behaviour towards prison and custody officers.
Family and Police React
“As a mother you would never expect to be burying your son, let alone standing in court talking about his life,” said Aron’s mother, Lorraine Donovan. “Aron had a good heart. He would never want to see anyone without. The future was so bright for him, but it was taken away.”
DI Brett Hagen of the Homicide team added: “It’s shocking the attacker was only 16 when he committed this brutal murder. Despite his age, he showed no conscience. He flaunted the victim’s Rolex hours after the crime. Justice has been served, which we hope brings some comfort to Aron’s family and friends.”
The defendant was also found guilty of possessing a knife in public but was acquitted of robbery. Sentencing is set for Thursday, 12 September at Kingston Crown Court.
