A Spanish-Brazilian national who is accused of murdering a schoolboy with a samurai sword had earlier broken into a house and shouted about God before attacking the father of a 4-year-old girl, a court has been told.
Marcus Arduini Monzo, 36, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday after being charged with the murder of 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, who was killed as he walked to school in the east London suburb of Hainault around 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
He is also accused of two counts of attempted murder, two of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
Prosecutor David Burns told the court Mr. Monzo also broke into a house where a couple were asleep with their 4-year-old daughter.
Mr. Monzo allegedly went into the bedroom and attacked the girl’s father, shouting about believing in God and slashing at his neck and arm with the sword.
Allegedly Crashed Van Into a Fence
It is alleged Mr. Monzo crashed a van into a fence in Hainault, hitting a local resident.
He then allegedly got out of the van, said he would kill the man, and struck him with the sword.
After allegedly attacking the couple in their home Mr. Monzo is said to have run up behind Daniel and slashed his neck, before stabbing him in the chest as he lay on the ground.
Police officers arrived at this point and tried to help the teenager but were allegedly attacked by Mr. Monzo.
The court was told he attacked a female officer and attacked her with the sword as she lay on the ground, causing her severe injuries.
He then allegedly attacked a second officer.
Aiste Dabasinskaite, who lives next door to Daniel’s parents, said she had tried to shout a warning to him but he could not hear her because he had headphones in.
She said: “The man approached me first and I managed to run away when he drew the sword. We were shouting and waving towards Daniel as he came out. He had his headphones in so he wouldn’t hear us. It just happened right before our eyes, it was horrible.”
“Poor boy, I feel really bad for his family,” she added.
Ms. Dabasinskaite said, “As my next door neighbour we used to say hello and wave at each other in the mornings when he left for school.”
She said there had been an outpouring of support from the local community.
“We’ve had people coming from all over, coming and putting flowers down. They’re really supportive, we’ve got a great community here, we never expected something like this to happen,” she added.
Mr. Monzo did not enter a plea to the charges and the Chief Magistrate Paul Goldpsring remanded him in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.
He is due to go on trial later this year or in 2025.
