Dedan Simmons, 40, of Clapham Road in Stockwell, South London, has been found guilty of the murder of Shaun McEvoy by a jury at Woolwich Crown Court. The court heard harrowing details of the incident in which Simmons brutally beat McEvoy to death over a drug debt.
According to prosecutor Anne Whyte, Simmons barged into a flat on Durham Street in Kennington uninvited, confronting McEvoy about money owed for drugs. In a violent outburst, Simmons shouted obscenities and demanded payment before viciously assaulting McEvoy, stomping on his chest and threatening others present with a knife.
McEvoy, described as a vulnerable drug user leading a “chaotic lifestyle,” was found unresponsive in the same flat later that day. Despite emergency services‘ efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
During the trial, witness testimony painted a grim picture of the events leading up to McEvoy’s death. One witness recalled waking up to Simmons, known as “Elvis,” demanding money and then witnessing the brutal assault on McEvoy. Another witness described Simmons returning with a knife, escalating the violence and instilling fear in those present.
Shaun McEvoy’s death was attributed to blunt force trauma to the torso, highlighting the severity of the assault he endured.
Simmons, facing a mandatory life sentence, will be sentenced in April. The verdict has sparked outrage and shed light on the dangers of drug-related violence and exploitation in vulnerable communities.
