Teenager Convicted in Fatal Stabbing After DNA from Asthma Inhaler Links to Crime Scene
A 19-year-old man has been convicted of manslaughter following a meticulous police investigation that used DNA evidence from an asthma inhaler to connect him to a deadly stabbing in south London. Ali Abdul Basit, from Mitcham, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on Friday for his role in the killing of 27-year-old Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Police.
Details of the Crime and Investigation
The incident occurred on the night of 19 December 2023 in Thornton Heath, where Mr. Peixoto was attacked after stepping out of a Vauxhall Grandland with a friend. According to police reports, a group of men in a white BMW were waiting in the road. Mr. Peixoto, a father, was stabbed multiple times, including once in the chest as he attempted to climb back into the vehicle. His friend was threatened with a knife and forced out of the car, which was later found abandoned nearby. Police officers discovered Mr. Peixoto on the floor with multiple stab wounds, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
In December 2024, three other men were convicted for their involvement in the attack after DNA from cigarette butts at the scene was analyzed. Zak Baako, 30, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 28 years in prison, while John Budal, 20, was convicted of manslaughter and robbery, and Omari Peat, 23, was found guilty of robbery.
Basit's Flight and Arrest
Basit fled to Pakistan after being seen at the scene of the robbery prior to Mr. Peixoto's murder. However, police used mobile phone data and other evidence to link him to the three convicted men. He was arrested upon his return to the UK in May of last year. During a search of his house, officers found an asthma inhaler, and DNA from it matched that on a cigarette butt recovered from the crime scene, providing crucial evidence for his conviction.
Police Statement and Sentencing
Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe, who led the investigation, stated, "Basit returned to the UK after the conviction of three other men in connection with Michael's death, possibly on the false pretence that he has got away with his actions. What Basit didn't know is that our officers had compiled an extensive amount of evidence, including phone data, which linked him to the other three convicted men at the time of the assault. After he was arrested, our officers were able to get his DNA from an asthma inhaler at his house, which matched DNA found on a cigarette butt at the scene." Basit is scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 22 May.
