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Two convicted following stabbing of 66-year old man

VICTIM: Leroy Junior Edwards

A MAN and a woman have been convicted of stabbing a 66-year-old man to death.

Kerry Donovan was found guilty of the murder of her great uncle Leroy Junior Edwards at the Old Bailey on Tuesday (Mar 19) following a trial. The man, Aaron Woolcock, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Edwards.

Both will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 18 April for their role in the killing of Mr Edwards, at his home in Lewisham in the early hours of 18 August 2018.

The court heard how on that date, Donovan and Woolcock had both gone to Mr Edwards home where an argument took place and he was stabbed several times while Donovan and Woolcock fled the scene.

A neighbour reported hearing banging coming from upstairs and had left his flat to find a trail of blood that led to Mr Edwards' door.

Officers attended, along with the London Ambulance Service, and entry was forced to Mr Edwards' flat where he was found stabbed with a large knife on the floor next to him. He was taken to a south London hospital where he died a short while later.

A murder investigation was immediately launched by detectives from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command.

During a search of the scene a purse was recovered and police found it contained a driver's licence and bank cards in the name of Kerry Donovan.

On 19 August 2018, officers arrested Donovan in Basildon on suspicion of murder and she was charged two days later.

Detective Sergeant Brian Jones, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "We may never know exactly why Mr Edwards was killed."

"Whatever the motive, this led to the senseless death of a family man of good character in the home where he had lived for over 25 years. His family described him as a 'quiet, non-confrontational man who liked to be at home.

"Woolcock and Donovan now face the consequences of their actions and I hope their conviction will give some solace to Mr Edward's family and friends."

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