The killer fled to St Lucia after shooting 28-year-old Sam Brown at a Cheney Park birthday party in July 2022

Sam Brown (left) was shot dead by Chase Griffith (right) in Cheney Park on 24th July 2022

A killer responsible for the murder of Sam Brown in Walthamstow, was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Friday (12th January).

Chase Griffith, 22, of Ashfield Parade in Southgate, was found guilty by an Old Bailey jury on 29th November.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen who led the investigation said: “This sentence 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. My thoughts today are with Sam’s family who have my deepest sympathy.”

In a statement following the trial Sam’s family said: “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.”

Griffith and Sam attended a party where around 150 people were present in Cheney Row Park, Walthamstow on 23rd July 2022.

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.

DCI 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.”

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