A teenager who stabbed his roommate to death during a botched robbery asked an AI phone app for legal advice and updates on the killing, a court heard.
Musa Salih tried to lure his victim, 19-year-old Harley Purdue, into a basement toilet with the intention of locking him in and stealing money from his bedroom. But when Mr Purdue fought back, Salih stabbed him eight times in the unprovoked assault at a property in Thorold Road on December 2 last year.
Attack and arrest
Mr Purdue was lured to the communal basement, where Salih intended to trap him before going on to steal cash from his room. As the victim resisted, Salih stabbed him repeatedly. Mr Purdue's girlfriend intervened, and Salih attempted to injure her before fleeing the house.
He was arrested later the same day in Lewisham. Police examining his phone found he had asked an AI app for legal advice and updates about the murder.
Conviction and reaction
Despite denying the offence, a Maidstone Crown Court jury found the Eritrean national guilty of murder on Thursday. A relative who had been in court wrote afterwards: "We are family and will always support each other. It's been a very emotional 6 weeks worth every minute to hear that guilty verdict. RIP our gentle giant Harley."
Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton said: "Salih's plan to steal Mr Purdue's money in the middle of the night, whilst armed with a knife, resulted in the death of a young man and left his family mourning the loss of a loved one. The swift response to track him down in London, followed by a comprehensive investigation, ensured the jury went on to convict him of murder. Our thoughts remain with Harley's loved ones, whose strength and dignity throughout our investigation and the court proceedings has been commendable. I hope today's verdict brings them some sense that justice has been done."
Salih, 19, of Launceston Road, Greenford, will be sentenced on Wednesday 4 November.
