Brutal Stabbing in Harlow: Two Men Found Guilty of Murder
Cristian Marin Patru was found fatally stabbed inside a home in The Hides, Harlow, on November 8 last year. Police were called to reports of a disturbance at around 5.40pm but had to force entry. Inside, officers found the 24-year-old collapsed, with blood scattered through multiple rooms and trailing outside to the rear gate.
Tragically, Cristian was pronounced dead at the scene. He suffered stab wounds to his chin, back, and neck.
Witness Spots Suspect Fleeing Scene
A witness told police they saw a man in a dark tracksuit vault a fence at the back of the property around the time of the attack. Detectives quickly uncovered a link between Cristian and Jayden Drake, a 25-year-old drug dealer running the so-called ‘Bobby Davro’ drug line in Harlow.
Drake was known to have used the Harlow address for drug dealings and had a history of carrying knives. Police found Drake’s and another man’s fingerprints on items in one of the bedrooms. That man was 19-year-old Igors Andersons.
Manhunt Ends in Arrests 120 Miles Away
Detectives confirmed both Drake and Andersons were at the property during the murder. After a manhunt, the pair were caught in Bournemouth on November 11. Cristian’s blood was found on their clothing and shoes, some of which was discarded near where they were arrested.
Both men were charged with murder.
Guilty Verdict Secured at Chelmsford Crown Court
At trial, Drake claimed Andersons did the stabbing while he looked away. Andersons said he blacked out but assumed he caused the injuries, insisting it was self-defence. Meanwhile, Fraser Chung, 18, was also charged but found not guilty.
Drake, from Bournemouth, and Andersons, from Harlow, were found guilty of Cristian’s murder on Tuesday, May 31. Sentencing is set for July 22.
“Cristian was killed in a brutal and senseless attack,” said Detective Chief Inspector Ant Alcock.
“In a planned attack, Drake and Andersons used extreme violence to take Cristian’s life. They then fled the scene, travelling more than 120 miles to avoid prosecution.”
But justice caught up with them and Essex is a safer place as a result.
Essex Police praised their officers for relentless work cracking down on drug-related violence that endangers vulnerable communities. While no sentence can bring Cristian back, the convictions bring some closure to his family.
