The devastated mother of a teenager stabbed to death in a city park has appealed directly to her son’s murderers to give themselves up as she branded them cowards.
Eddie King Muthemba Kinuthia, 19, suffered multiple stab wounds during an attack in Grosvenor Road Triangle Park in St Pauls, Bristol, on the evening of Friday July 21.
Avon and Somerset Police have arrested four people in connection with his death, and they have all been released on bail.
Irene Muthemba spoke of the anguish the death of her son has brought to her family and appealed for those responsible to give themselves up.
“Words cannot begin to express the anguish that losing Eddie has caused. Our hearts are completely broken,” she said.
“We will miss your dazzling smile and we will all forever carry you in our hearts.
“We will always love you with your every blemish, your every fault, every mistake, because with time and a little love and guidance you are making changes, changes for the better.
“It is hard to accept that anyone would want to hurt you and it’s immensely sad indeed, and I will never understand why.
“We all make mistakes sometimes, but mistakes do not give anybody the right to end someone else’s life.
“To think that someone woke up and decided that they have the right to rip our hearts wide open.
“Your needless, senseless, shameless cowardly act of violence is so distressing. I don’t have the capacity to hate them or even feel angry, I just feel incredibly sad for their souls.
“Whoever you are that did this, I feel incredibly sad for you. I am appealing to your conscience because someone out there must know something that can assist to get justice for Eddie.
“You are cowards because you didn’t give him a chance.”
Ms Muthemba urged the perpetrators’ parents to have “the courage to do the right thing” and get their children to face up to their actions.
“I am inviting you as a mother to meet parent to parent so we can set out an example to our children that love wins and will always be above hate,” she said.
“There is absolutely no need for these wars that have become so entrenched in today’s youth culture, especially over ground and boundaries that none of you actually own.
“This world belongs to everybody and there is enough to share.
“Your evil actions only cost devastation to families and gain you nothing whatsoever.”
Ms Muthemba added: “Whatever your differences or disagreement might have been, if it was about money, you can’t take it with you in the end; if it was about status, you didn’t diminish his at all or swap it for yours.
“If it was about jealousy, taking Eddie out will not positively impact your life in any way.
“So what did you actually gain by ending his life?
“Apart from a lifetime of guilt, or shame, and eternal damnation. God is watching you and you won’t have any peace while Eddie’s blood cries out from the street.”
Detectives are appealing for anyone who was in the area on the night of the killing and may have seen two people riding an electric motorbike – possibly a Sur-Ron – in St Pauls or Easton to contact them.
Detective Inspector Mark Almond, who is leading the investigation, appealed for anyone who had been in contact with the teenager on the day of his death to get in touch.
“We are determined to get justice for Eddie and answers for his family, but we need help from people.
“We need witnesses to come forward and give statements. Were you in the Grosvenor Road area of St Pauls between 10pm and 11.30pm that evening?
“Did you see two people or at times a single rider in dark clothing riding an electric motorbike similar to a Sur-Ron?”
Mr Almond refused to say what he thought may have been the motive for the attack.
He said: “There are certain things that I am unable to share with you today.
“I am considering a number of motives, but I am keeping an open mind.”
