Dante Forrest, 36, of Moselle Avenue, Haringey, will serve a minimum of 22 years.
The Old Bailey convicted him on Thursday, November 13.
Forrest’s conviction was secured after Metropolitan Police officers used DNA evidence from Marvin’s blood in the scene and reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage.
This evidence placed him at the crime scene.
The police discovered Marvin’s blood on a pizza box at the flat and found CCTV footage of Forrest wearing Marvin’s trainers in the days following his death.
Neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the flat on Moselle Avenue on Friday, September 20, 2024.
When police arrived, they found the property boarded up, padlocked, and in complete darkness.
After forcing entry, they discovered Marvin’s body in the bathtub, believed to have been there for about ten days.
The lack of forced entry indicated that the killer had access to the flat and tried to cover their tracks by padlocking the door.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Marvin had sustained multiple injuries, including fractures to his head and face, and several stab wounds.
Detectives reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, which showed Marvin with Forrest ten days before his body was discovered.
In the footage, Marvin is seen collecting a pizza, the last time he was seen alive.
Forensic evidence revealed bloodstains on a shirt found in the flat and on the pizza box, linking Forrest to the murder.
CCTV footage captured on Thursday, September 19, 2024, the day before police were called to the flat, showed Forrest wearing Marvin’s distinctive purple, blue, and white trainers.
These trainers were never recovered.
Forrest was arrested on suspicion of murder and charged on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
In a statement provided to the Met Police, Marvin’s family said: “On behalf of our family, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this case.
“While we are grateful that justice has been delivered, and that the person responsible for Marvin’s death has been held accountable, no verdict can ever bring him back or ease the sadness we carry every day.
“Marvin will forever be loved, missed, and remembered.”
Detective Inspector Mark Johnson, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Unit, who led the investigation, said: “Today’s sentence will hopefully bring a small amount of closure to Marvin’s family.
“My thoughts remain with his loved ones as justice is finally served, they have shown immense strength throughout this investigation.”
