A man from London has been sentenced to prison for the murder of a 16-year-old boy, who was fatally stabbed in front of his mother in her own bedroom.

Romario Gordon, aged 22, was part of a group wielding knives that acted as a coordinated unit while they targeted Camron Smith at his residence in Croydon on July 1, 2021.

Audrey Johnson, Camron’s mother, intervened to defend her son when the group forced entry by kicking down the door and attempted to disarm one of the attackers, as revealed in court proceedings.

During the sentencing at the Old Bailey, Judge Anuja Dhir KC addressed Gordon, stating, “When you arrived at the site, your intention was to inflict harm, fully aware that knives, including substantial machetes, were present.”

She continued, “Camron Smith was slain in the presence of his mother within her own bedroom. I cannot imagine a more devastating experience for a mother.”

Prior to Camron’s death, the group had commandeered a Toyota Prius taxi and initiated a spree of violence in Croydon, seeking retribution for an earlier stabbing incident.

The gang invaded two other homes before forcing their way into Camron’s, where they ultimately chased him upstairs following a struggle on the lower level. In a desperate attempt to shield him, Camron and his mother tried to barricade themselves inside a bedroom.

Audrey Johnson made a brave effort to defend her son, attempting to seize a large black zombie knife with a serrated, 16-inch (40cm) blade that one of the assailants was wielding. She stood with her arms outstretched in a futile effort to protect Camron from the attackers.

Within moments, Camron found himself surrounded and was fatally stabbed at their home on Bracken Avenue, while he was unarmed and dressed only in his underwear.

In her victim impact statement, Camron’s mother expressed, “It was a scene so horrifying that I could never have dreamed it could occur, especially in our home, a place that should shield us from danger and where we have the right to feel safe.”

She continued, “There is a profound void within me from Camron’s murder; his death will torment me for the rest of my life, bringing a misery that I endure daily.”

“The day they took Camron from me was the day they also took my spirit; a part of me died along with him.”

At the time of the incident, Gordon was 17 years old and was later captured on CCTV fleeing from the stolen taxi and discarding a large machete on a nearby street.

The trial revealed that he escaped to The Gambia only two days after the murder to avoid identification and arrest.

In his defense, James Scobie KC conveyed to the court that Gordon had been “productive” and “law-abiding” during his time in Africa, where he operated a successful car washing business and employed several individuals for over a year before expressing a desire to return and “face justice” in the UK.

Mr. Scobie elaborated, “His initial decision to leave the UK was heavily influenced by his family.”

Additionally, he noted that the defendant had penned a letter to the judge expressing “deep regret and sincere remorse.”

Authorities are still searching for two other individuals linked to the murder.