COREY JUNIOR DAVIS was just 14 years old when he was killed in another grim chapter of gang feuding in Newham. He died last September – but police have not given up their investigation.
DCI Dave Whellams made a live appeal on BBC TV’s Crimewatch earlier this month, and police are issuing a new appeal for the public to come forward with information.
Corey and his 17 year old friend were hanging out, just minding their own business, when they were shot just after 3pm on 4th September last year. Corey died in hospital the next day. His friend sustained life-changing injuries to his leg. He has recently been discharged from hospital and will now follow a lengthy rehabilitation process.
The police have reissued a CCTV image of a car they wish to trace in connection with their investigation. It is a metallic grey 2011 Range Rover Sport HSE TDV6 which was pictured at just before 3pm – minutes before the murder – on Wyatt Road near the junction with Upton Lane, E7. The windows are dark tinted from behind the driver’s seat to the back of the vehicle. The car was later seen on CCTV, shortly after the murder, heading away from the location of the incident. At around 3.15pm it was captured driving erratically on Romford Road – heading north, towards the A406 North Circular Road.
Police have established that the car had been stolen from Haverhill Road in Balham a couple of weeks before the murder, and police are interested in any sightings of it from 24th August onwards.
On the day of the murder, the vehicle was displaying a registration plate which began D11. Police have also revealed that the car’s unique vehicle identification number (VIN) is SALLSAAG3BA292779 (the last six digits are the chassis number) and its engine number is 0534374306DT. Officers have asked local garages to look out for these identification marks.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, explained what he is asking the public to do. “We have reason to believe this car could still be out there,” he said. “Someone could have bought it in good faith for instance, having no idea that they have bought a stolen vehicle.
“I would be grateful if anyone who has bought an identical make and model of car since 4th September 2017 could check its VIN number. The VIN number can usually be found by looking from outside the vehicle at the lower left side of the windscreen, in the driver’s side door jam or under the bonnet. Please contact us urgently if it matches the number we have given out. The engine number is also readily accessible to check.
“It is also possible that a garage or scrap dealer could have inadvertently worked on the whole vehicle or parts of it without realising it had been used in a murder. Again I would urge people in this sector to think back over the last month and check their records. Any information will be treated in the strictest of confidence – it is the persons who used it on 4th September that are our sole interest at this point.”
Corey’s mother Keisha McLeod, her daughter (Corey’s sister) Roshane Newman and his uncle (Keisha’s brother) Kadeem Phipps have all joined together in the appeal to plead for any help the public can provide.
Keisha McLeod said, “CJ was a fun, loving, kind, handsome young boy, just 14 years old. He loved to make us laugh and dance with his funny routines. He had real talent and such potential. I’m appealing directly to the community. If my son’s life has been taken for the wall of silence to be broken, let it be broken today. Please don’t ignore my voice, please don’t ignore my pain. The murderer of my son is still out there. Please help the police to help me and my family.”
•Anyone with information about this car, or with any other information about the incident, is asked to contact officers on the dedicated incident room number of 020-8345 3775, or via 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800-555 111, where you can give information anonymously.
•Read more about this story: Corey killing: CCTV of car released
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