Family Raises Alarming Questions After Mentally Ill Killer Purchased Knife Online Before Fatal Attack
The grieving family of a grandmother brutally murdered at a North London bus stop have voiced profound concerns about systemic failures that allowed her mentally ill killer to access violent online content and purchase a deadly hunting knife while under professional care.
Devoted NHS Worker Fatally Attacked in Broad Daylight
Medical secretary Anita Mukhey, a 66-year-old married grandmother described as "devoted to her family", was stabbed eighteen times by 24-year-old Jala Debella at approximately 11.50am on May 9, 2024. The horrific attack occurred at a bus stop on Burnt Oak Broadway in North London, witnessed by shocked passers-by who immediately rushed to help and called emergency services.
Despite frantic efforts by medics, police officers, and members of the public, Ms Mukhey tragically died at 12.22pm. Disturbingly, CCTV footage showed her attacker "casually" walking away from the scene as people attempted to save his victim's life.
Killer's Online Activities and Weapon Acquisition Revealed
The Old Bailey heard that Debella, who lived in a Care Quality Commission-registered mental health rehabilitation home in Colindale, was obsessed with violent online content depicting knives and weapons. Despite being under professional supervision, he successfully purchased a hunting knife with a sheath from knifewarehouse.co.uk just three days before the killing.
The weapon was delivered to his residential home approximately one hour before he used it to murder Ms Mukhey, an act that chillingly mirrored the violent content he had been consuming. Forensic analysis later confirmed the recovered knife contained DNA from both Debella and his victim.
Family Statement Highlights Systemic Concerns
Following proceedings where Debella was deemed too unwell to stand trial for murder but was found by a jury to have committed the killing, Ms Mukhey's family issued a powerful statement expressing their distress at the circumstances surrounding her death.
"As this case has unfolded, certain deeply troubling facts have emerged," the family stated. "The court has heard that a man with a severe mental illness was known to services and assessed by consultant psychiatrists as psychologically stable and safe for the community. At the same time, he was engaging in escalating behaviour outside those assessments, including acquiring weapons and researching extreme violence."
The family highlighted what they described as a dangerous disconnect between professional assessments and actual behaviour, raising serious questions about current risk assessment models and whether they can adequately detect dangers that develop beyond clinical consultations.
Detailed Timeline of Concerning Behaviour
The court heard extensive evidence about Debella's escalating preoccupation with violence in the months leading to the attack:
- Two months before the killing, he purchased a 21cm-long blade for £120 from a Covent Garden shop
- On April 26, 2024, he attempted to buy a "Survivor 9.5 fixed blade knife" from Blades.co.uk, but was refused due to his residential address
- Just before setting out on the day of the murder, he searched for "killing video" and visited websites containing graphic violent content
- After returning home following the attack, he searched for "knife", "gore video" and "breaking news"
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Concerns
Prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC described the attack as "senseless", noting that as far as investigators could determine, Debella and Ms Mukhey were complete strangers. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before reaching their finding that Debella had stabbed and killed Ms Mukhey while in possession of the knife.
Judge Philip Katz KC adjourned sentencing until Friday, informing jurors that Debella would continue to be detained at a secure hospital in Liverpool where he remains unwell. The judge noted that if Debella recovers sufficiently, he could still face trial for murder.
It has now been reported that Debella has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and had no previous convictions for violence. The family has expressed their willingness to assist the coroner in any future inquest, stating they stand ready to help "in the interests of learning lessons and strengthening public protection."
Judge Katz described the case as "shocking" and expressed hope that the proceedings would provide the family with some degree of closure as they continue to mourn their devastating loss.
