A man has denied murdering a 14-year-old boy and attacking four others during an alleged 22-minute rampage in which he was wielding two deadly Japanese swords. Marcus Arduini Monzo is accused of racing up behind unsuspecting schoolboy Daniel Anjorin as he walked to school and slashing him in the chest and neck, virtually decapitating him, in Hainault, north-east London, on April 30 last year.
Monzo, 37, today denied eight of the 10 charges against him but admitted two counts of having an offensive weapon – a katana sword and a tanto katana sword. The bearded defendant, of Newham, east London, entered his pleas when he appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday wearing a green jumper.
Spanish-Brazilian national Monzo denied Daniel’s murder, and also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murders of Donato Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Pc Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield as well as wounding Inspector Moloy Campbell with intent.
He also denied aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife.
His trial is set for June 3 at the same court.
Previously Westminster Magistrates Court heard how Monzo, who described himself as a “mystic musician” , had allegedly crashed a van into a fence in Laing Close, hitting pedestrian Mr Iwule, just before 7am on April 30, before jumping from the vehicle and slashing Mr Iwule around the neck.
It is claimed Monzo then forced entry into the bedroom of a couple who were asleep and slashed IT engineer Henry De Los Rios Polania, 35, – in the neck as he tried to fend off the attacker.
It is alleged that after leaving the house he then raced up behind Daniel and stabbed him in the neck and then in the chest after the teenager collapsed to the floor.
Police had been called to the scene and were tending to Daniel’s injuries when Monzo allegedly appeared from behind a bush and attacked female police officer Mecham-Whitfield with the weapon while she was kneeling on the ground – causing “significant injuries” before attacking her colleague Insp Campbell.
