Man guilty of the murder of Eddie Kinuthia

A man has been found guilty of the murder of Eddie King Muthemba Kinuthia in Bristol.

Zachariah Talbert Young, 27 and formerly of Easton, was found guilty of killing 19-year-old Eddie in Grosvenor Park, in St Pauls, in July 2023.

The jury also convicted Talbert Young and a second man, 22-year-old Paul Elijah Hayden, formerly of Hanham, of attempted murder in relation to a separate attack on a second man in February 2024.

They inflicted multiple knife wounds against Nathan – then also aged 19 – in Easton Way before fleeing the scene. His life was saved thanks to the medical intervention of doctors.

The jury was shown footage of the night Eddie was murdered on 21 July 2023. CCTV cameras captured two men riding on an e-bike entering the park from Ashley Road, shortly before 11pm.

Eddie approached the pair and was fatally stabbed by the passenger on the bike. The duo then rode out of the park the same way they had come from.

The jury were told Eddie sustained multiple catastrophic injuries.

The Honourable Mr Justice Pepperall said the first paramedics were on the scene at 11.12pm, but sadly Eddie’s life could not be saved.

A murder investigation was immediately launched and a team made up of dozens of detectives tried to piece together where the two people on the bike went after leaving the park. Through CCTV they traced it being ridden to an address in Easton a short time after the murder, and then in the early hours of the following morning taken away.

Phone records were examined which showed Talbert Young’s involvement throughout.

Hayden was also charged with Eddie’s murder, but the jury received a direction to find him not guilty at the end of the prosecution case, because the judge felt there was insufficient evidence for the case against him to be proven beyond all reasonable doubt.

The jury found Remi Hitchcock, 30, was not guilty of assisting an offender following Eddie’s death.

The remaining verdicts were delivered at Bristol Crown Court today (Thursday 20 November) after the jury had listened to five weeks of detailed and distressing evidence.

Both Hayden and Talbert Young were remanded into custody and will be sentenced on Tuesday 25 November.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Almond said: “Today’s verdicts have been a long time coming for Irene, Eliud, Elliott, and the rest of Eddie’s family, as well as for Nathan and those closest to him.

“Sadly, nothing can bring Eddie back, and Nathan’s scars may never fully heal, but Bristol’s streets are safer now that Zachariah Talbert Young and Paul Elijah Hayden will remain behind bars for many years to come.

“I would particularly like to pay tribute to Eddie’s family. They have shown remarkable courage and resilience throughout. In spite of their own pain and grief they have shown patience and support as the investigative team worked through this complex case. They have also shown a great determination to build a lasting legacy of hope and peace in Eddie’s name.

“We hope the verdicts returned by the jury today will help them start to look to the future.

“I would also like to thank the many people in St Pauls who, by coming forward with information, have shown they will not tolerate the knife violence which causes so much harm to individuals, families and our communities.

“While positive steps over the past 18 months have brought about a reduction in knife crime in Bristol, we cannot afford to be complacent because no-one as bright as Eddie should lose their life in our city.”

Senior District Crown Prosecutor Alex Ward spoke on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after the verdict was delivered.

Mr Ward said: “The senseless loss of Eddie Kinuthia’s young life shocked the community and has had a lasting and devasting impact on those who knew him.

“Our thoughts remain with Eddie’s family and loved ones, and I hope they can find some comfort in today’s verdict.

“The attack on Nathan, six months after Eddie’s murder, could so easily have resulted in the same tragic outcome. Quite simply, Nathan is lucky to be alive.

“Today’s convictions serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that come from carrying and using knives.

“Knife crime destroys lives, families and communities, and the CPS remains committed to working with our colleagues across the criminal justice system to prevent it and bring offenders to justice.”