Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto was stabbed five times in an ambush
Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto was viciously stabbed five times, including a fatal wound through his heart, in Thornton Heath, Croydon, after being ambushed by a gang trying to rob him of drugs. One of the attackers fled the country immediately after the attack.
Fugitive Returns After Two Years Abroad
Ali Abdul Basit, 19, took off right after the stabbing, travelling from the UK to Dubai, Venice, Egypt, and finally Pakistan, where he hid out for months. He returned to the UK in May 2025 after two years on the run.
Upon his return, Basit was arrested and charged with murder. Following a three-week trial, he was convicted of manslaughter and robbery. He is set to be sentenced on May 22.
DNA and Phone Data Seal the Case
Basit’s downfall came thanks to phone data linking him to his accomplices during the attack, and DNA evidence from a cigarette butt found at the scene—matched to DNA taken from an asthma inhaler at his home.
Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe, leading the investigation, said,
“Basit immediately fled after the violent murder, thinking he’d escaped justice. But our team had gathered enough evidence to ensure he was caught. This case highlights the Met’s relentless pursuit of those responsible for such brutal crimes.”
Accomplices Already Behind Bars
Basit’s three accomplices were convicted in 2024 after DNA was found on cigarette butts next to their car at the crime scene. Zak Baako, 29, was found guilty of murder; John Budal, 20, was convicted of manslaughter and robbery; and Omari Peat was found guilty of robbery.
The men had lured Peixoto under the pretence of buying drugs before ambushing and stabbing him multiple times in a brutal attack that ended his life in a house driveway.
