Chilling Footage Reveals Teen Killer's Deception After Birmingham Murder
Newly released bodycam footage has exposed the disturbing moment a teenage murderer feigned innocence after fatally stabbing 12-year-old schoolboy Leo Ross in Birmingham. The 15-year-old killer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded guilty to the murder and to assaults on three elderly women in the days leading up to the tragedy.
The Fateful Day in Hall Green
Leo Ross was walking home from Christ Church C of E Secondary School in Hall Green, Birmingham, on January 21 last year when he suffered a catastrophic stab wound to his stomach. Despite being rushed to hospital, the much-loved schoolboy died just over four hours later. West Midlands Police described the attack as a senseless act, noting that Leo was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The newly unveiled footage shows the teenage killer interacting with police officers near the murder scene shortly after the attack. In a calculated display of deception, he poses as a concerned bystander who discovered the dying boy and raised the alarm.
A Calculated Performance of Innocence
In the bodycam recording, the killer tells an officer: "I was riding. There's a... you know, because there's a mechanic shop up there. I was going to come through here cos that leads that way. This is when I seen him and then I seen this woman. She was walking down, so I told her to call you guys."
He adds with chilling composure: "I didn't touch him because that could put me in the case." Police have revealed that the teenager "got a kick out of seeing the chaos he'd created" during this interaction.
Pattern of Violence Against Elderly Women
The murder followed a disturbing pattern of violence against vulnerable elderly women in the same area. Just two days before killing Leo, the teenager had attacked an elderly woman in Trittiford Mill Park, hitting her with her own walking stick and pushing her into a river, causing serious injury.
Remarkably, after this assault, he warned members of the public about what had happened, presenting himself as a genuine Good Samaritan concerned for community welfare. The teen also attacked another elderly woman on January 20 and attempted to assault a further victim on the morning of the day Leo was murdered.
A Life Cut Tragically Short
In emotional tributes released through police, Leo's foster family, the Westons, described him as "the sweetest, kindest boy who put others before himself." They added: "He was loved by all that knew him, he made friends with everyone he met, young or old. He was wise beyond his years, full of knowledge and facts, full of life. A life cut short by a senseless act."
Leo's birth mother, Rachel Fisher, said: "My son Leo was the sweetest, most kind-hearted boy. He didn't have a bad bone in his body. My baby's life was stolen for no reason what so ever. My life will never be the same again without him. He will be loved and missed forever."
Justice and Closure Sought
The family expressed hope that justice would be served, acknowledging that while it might bring some closure, it would never return Leo's stolen life. The teenage killer's admission of guilt comes after extensive police investigation that pieced together CCTV footage showing him riding his bike to the murder scene and cycling around before returning home after speaking to officers.
West Midlands Police have handled the case with particular sensitivity due to the ages of both victim and perpetrator, distorting the killer's voice in released footage and withholding his identity as he is a juvenile. The chilling bodycam footage now serves as stark evidence of the calculated deception employed in the immediate aftermath of this tragic Birmingham murder.
