Two jailed for 43 years for killing Croydon teen Camron Smith in his own home

Two men have been jailed in connection with the fatal stabbing of Camron Smith in Croydon last year – but police say they will continue their hunt for other gang members involved in the slaying.

Camron was murdered in a frenzied attack by a group of men who forced their way into his home in Bracken Avenue.

Romain La Pierre, 20, of Celia Road, Tufnell Park and Jordan Tcheuko, 19, of St John’s Road, Wembley, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, where they were sentenced.

La Pierre was handed a life tariff, with a minimum of 28 years’ imprisonment for murder and nine years’ imprisonment for robbery. These sentences are to be served concurrently.

Tcheuko was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for manslaughter.

Detective Sergeant Mike Seager, of the Met’s specialist crime command, said: “Camron was from Shrublands in Croydon and was just 16 years old when his life was so brutally ended in a frenzy of violence in his own home.

“I am an experienced homicide detective and was shocked by the injuries inflicted on Camron.

“Despite attempts to hinder our enquiries, we have succeeded in bringing most of those involved to justice.

“However, let me make it clear, the investigation remains open and we will not stop until we have put all of those involved before the courts.

“Despite the ages of the defendants, they are violent in the extreme and I am pleased with the jury’s verdicts and that the sentences reflect the severity of the offences.

“It is my sincere hope that the conclusion of these proceedings brings a small measure of closure and comfort to Camron’s loved ones.”

Police had been called to Bracken Avenue at around 12.45am on July 1 last year. They found Camron, who had been stabbed.

He was treated at the scene, but despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The court heard how earlier that evening the defendants, and some of their associates, had called for a mini-cab at Fieldend Road in Streatham.

When the mini-cab arrived, the group robbed the driver and held a knife to his throat while they took away his phone and his car.

The car then travelled in convoy with two mopeds to hunt for their rivals in a crime spree across Croydon.

The defendants were armed with knives and looking for people that they associated with the stabbing of one of their friends, Jerome Taylor, in Pawson’s Road, Croydon on the afternoon of June 30, 2021.

Hunting in a pack, they entered three homes in Croydon – one no longer occupied by the person they were looking for and whose new occupier awoke to find a masked male in her bedroom.

At the second address, the group were not able to get in and so moved on to Bracken Avenue where they kicked down the door to Camron’s home.

They chased him to his mother’s bedroom, where he had run for shelter. There, they murdered him.

They were in the house for no longer than two minutes before they ran, returning to the stolen mini-cab and moped and fleeing the area.

A 16-year-old boy convicted of robbery at the same court will be sentenced on a date to be scheduled.

Pictured top: Camron Smith (Picture: The Met)