Chase Griffith was today found guilty of the murder of Sam Brown at a party in Cheney Row Park last July
By Marco Marcelline
A man who fled to the Caribbean in a bid to evade police was today found guilty of the murder of 28-year-old Sam Brown in Walthamstow last year.
Chase Griffith, 22, of Ashfield Parade in Southgate shot and killed Sam at a party in Cheney Row Park in Higham Hill on 24th July 2022.
Chase fled to Saint Lucia following the murder and was extradited back to the UK in December.
Detective chief inspector Kelly Allen who led the investigation said: “This conviction brings an end to a long and painstaking investigation by officers from the Met assisted by colleagues at the National Crime Agency. I am very grateful for their assistance with the extradition of Griffith.
“Sam Brown was gunned down in the street by Chase Griffith in an act of perceived revenge following a stabbing that had taken place earlier that night. Griffith then fled the country to Saint Lucia, while Sam’s family grieved his brutal murder.
“Thanks to diligent detective work, using CCTV and other forensic evidence, a watertight case was built against Griffith allowing his arrest and extradition back to the UK to face justice. Sam’s family are very much in my thoughts today. I once again wish to express my deepest sympathy to them.”
In a statement provided by the Met, Sam’s family said today (29th November): “We will never have any closure to what actually happened to our son that night. We all have to move on with our lives as we know that’s what Sam would want us to do. He will always be our angel and never forgotten.”
The court heard how Griffith and Sam attended a party where around 150 people were present in Cheney Row Park, Walthamstow on 23rd July last year.
In the early hours of the following morning (24th July) a man at the party was taken to hospital with a stab wound. In the aftermath of the stabbing, Griffith produced a firearm and, believing Sam was in some way responsible, shot him in the street.
According to police, Sam staggered into his car and managed to drive a short distance before falling unconscious. He later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
Following the shooting, Griffith fled the scene and travelled to the Southgate area. After arriving home, the court heard how he attempted to cover his tracks by disposing of a distinctive tracksuit he was wearing.
Three days later Chase boarded a flight to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean from Gatwick Airport, and in a further attempt to dissuade police, he had cut his hair.
He remained in Saint Lucia until his extradition to Gatwick Airport on 8th December.
Detective chief inspector Allen added: “This was a challenging investigation. Although numerous people were at this gathering and many witnessed Griffith shooting Sam, people were reluctant to come forward and speak to police.
“However, through forensic CCTV analysis and meticulous investigative work using mobile phone data, we were able to conclusively prove Griffith was the person responsible for this murder. I am pleased that the hard work of the investigating team has paid off and a dangerous individual has been held to account for this callous murder.”
Chase will be sentenced at the Old Bailey at a later date.
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