DNA Evidence from Asthma Inhaler and Cigarette Butt Secures Conviction in Fatal Stabbing Case
A teenager who fled to Pakistan following a violent attack has been found guilty of manslaughter, after detectives used DNA evidence from an asthma inhaler and a cigarette butt to link him to the crime. Ali Abdul Basit, aged 19, was convicted at the Old Bailey on Friday for his role in the death of Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto, a 27-year-old father.
Two-Year Investigation Uncovers Crucial Evidence
The Metropolitan Police spent over two years pursuing Basit after he escaped to Pakistan following the incident. The attack occurred on December 19, 2023, in Mayfield Crescent, Thornton Heath, located in south London. According to police statements, a group of men in a white BMW were waiting in the road when Mr Peixoto arrived with a friend in a Vauxhall Grandland.
When Mr Peixoto exited his vehicle, he was stabbed multiple times, including a critical wound to the chest, as he tried to re-enter the car. His friend was threatened with a knife and forced out of the vehicle, which was then stolen and later discovered abandoned nearby.
DNA Matches and Forensic Breakthrough
Police revealed that DNA recovered from cigarette butts at the scene matched three other men, who were convicted in December 2024 for their involvement. Basit, of Leicester Avenue in Mitcham, south London, had been spotted at the robbery scene before the murder and subsequently fled abroad.
Investigators compiled extensive evidence, including mobile phone data, connecting Basit to the three convicted individuals. Upon his return to the United Kingdom in May of last year, he was arrested. During a search of his residence, officers found an asthma inhaler, and DNA analysis confirmed it matched the DNA from a cigarette butt recovered at the crime scene.
Detective Comments on the Case
Detective Inspector Martin Thorpe, who led the investigation, stated: "Basit returned to the UK after the conviction of three other men in connection with Michael's death, possibly under the false assumption that he had evaded justice. However, our officers had amassed a substantial amount of evidence, such as phone data, linking him to the other convicted men at the time of the assault. After his arrest, we obtained his DNA from an asthma inhaler at his house, which matched the DNA found on a cigarette butt at the scene."
Previous Convictions and Sentencing
In related proceedings, Zak Baako, 30, with no fixed address, was found guilty of Mr Peixoto's murder on December 20, 2024, and received a minimum sentence of 28 years in prison. John Budal, 20, of Ena Road in Thornton Heath, was convicted of manslaughter and robbery, while Omari Peat, 23, of Southampton Gardens in Mitcham, south London, was found guilty of robbery.
Basit has been convicted of manslaughter and robbery and is scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on May 22. This case highlights the critical role of forensic evidence in solving violent crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice, even after international flight attempts.
