Javan Lee, 38, of Sussex Road, Harrow was convicted of murder by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (December 8).
The court heard how Lee stabbed housemate Corey Graham 12 times outside their property on October 30, 2024 after a “trivial” dispute, and proceeded to walk down the nearby residential streets in broad daylight – covered in blood and carrying a knife.
This was captured on CCTV, which allowed police to track Lee’s movements and recover the murder weapon in nearby Pinner View.
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Detective Sergeant Matt Russell, from Specialist Crime North Homicide – who led the investigation – said the footage “graphically demonstrates his [Lee’s] brazenness”.
He said: “Our thoughts today are with the family of Mr Graham, who lost a loved one in such brutal circumstances – following an apparently trivial dispute between the men.
“Lee has shown cowardice and contempt towards his victim.
“Although he had taken steps to conceal his involvement, evidence obtained by investigators was used to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
“I would like to thank the investigation team for their hard work bringing Lee to justice.”
Emergency services rushed to Sussex Road at around 4.50pm on October 30, 2024 after a third tenant at the house called 999.
Metropolitan Police officers found 48-year-old Corey Graham in the garden, suffering from multiple stab wounds.
He was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries on October 31.
Officers encountered Lee at the scene, but he initially gave a fake name, denied any involvement in the stabbing, and went on the run for six hours.
When he returned to the house later, Lee was detained by police and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Messages recovered by detectives from the suspect and victim’s devices during the investigation revealed there had been a dispute between them.
Mr Graham had contacted the property’s management to complain of Lee’s mess minutes before he was stabbed, while the killer had also called the emergency services to complain about Mr Graham during the same time period.
