Tashawn Watt who was stabbed to death in Sydenham
(Picture: Met Police)A teenager has been found guilty of murder after stabbing a 19-year-old to death in front of his family in south London.
Romello Harley, also 19, from Sydenham, was convicted on Monday at Inner London Crown Court of the murder of Tashawn Watt.
The court heard police were called around 9.30pm on June 25 after Tashawn was found collapsed in Miall Walk, SE26.
He had been stabbed in the chest and died at the scene despite the attempts of an ambulance crew to save him.
Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command found Harley had been involved in a row with one of Watt’s relatives at the family home that night and been asked to leave, but came back armed with a knife.
After failing to lure Tashawn to an alleyway, he stabbed him in front of his family before dropping the knife and fleeing but not before being seen by several witnesses to the attack which was also caught on CCTV.
Harley initially went into hiding as officers launched a manhunt for him but three days later he handed himself in at Lewisham Police Station and was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Wood, who led the investigation, said: “My thoughts remain with Tashawn’s family as they continue to come to terms with the loss of their loved one in such awful and needless circumstances.
“I am pleased that as a result of our investigation we have delivered justice for them by ensuring the person responsible for Tashawn’s killing will spend a considerable time behind bars.”
A post-mortem examination carried out after Tashawn’s death found he had died from a stab wound to the chest.
Harley will be sentenced at the same court on a date to be set.
