Warning - grim reading
TWO teenage killers have been found guilty of murdering a “talented musician” in his own home on New Year’s Eve 2021.
A 16-year-old boy from Christchurch and a 17-year-old boy from Bournemouth were found guilty of killing Edward Reeve, 35, in his home in Heath Road, Walkford following trial lasting a little more than three weeks.
The Christchurch teen first met Mr Reeve on December 29, the latter wanting to buy drugs from him.
He went to his house with a group of friends that night and took drugs, Winchester Crown Court heard. He also stole his computer.
Two days later, the teen went to his home again with his co-defendant and three girls.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones QC said the teens became “agitated” and started punching holes in the wall.
After the three girls left, saying they felt uncomfortable, the two boys attacked Mr Reeve with two knives.
The principal injury was to the left of the belly which severed the main artery draining blood from the liver.
The court heard his injuries were consistent with “being chased”.
The boys then caught up with the girls and “bragged” about stabbing Mr Reeve. They received a phone call from a friend in prison and told him they had “yinged man up” and were now “family”.
Blood of Mr Reeve was found in the living room, on his bed in the downstairs bedroom, on the door leading to the back garden and on the wall behind the shed.
He was found four days later by two friends who became concerned when they hadn’t heard from him.
The day before Mr Reeve’s body was found, the Christchurch teen returned to Heath Road and stayed there for 10 minutes. He told the jury he was “pacing up and down” the driveway and went to find out the “outcome of the night”.
The Christchurch teen denied murder but admitted stabbing Mr Reeve three or four times in the thigh and buttock in self defence after Mr Reeve challenged him about the stolen computer.
He said his co-defendant then attacked the victim, telling him he was defending him.
The Bournemouth teen said he didn’t harm Mr Reeve, and the Christchurch teen attacked him with two knives when an argument broke out over the stolen computer.
He claimed he sat and watched and now “wished” he did something to stop the attack.
Both boys denied chasing Mr Reeve and said he was left alive in the living room. The Bournemouth teen denied possession of a blade, while the Christchurch teen admitted that charge.
However, a 12-person jury found them unanimously guilty of murder after seven hours of deliberations.
The Bournemouth teen was found guilty of carrying a blade.
They will be sentenced at a later date. Neither defendants can be named.
TWO teenage killers have been found guilty of murdering a “talented musician” in his own home on New Year’s Eve 2021.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk
