Two men have been jailed for life after plotting and carrying out the murder of a former friend who they stabbed to death in a street ambush in south London.
Keahn Williams, 20, of Coulsdon, and Kai Nelson-Palmer, 17, of Croydon, were both found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering Lucas Sutton, 22, who was lured to his death in Croydon on 23 May 2023.
At Southwark Crown Court on 14 August, Williams was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison, while Nelson-Palmer received a minimum of 16 years. Their convictions and sentences can now be reported following the lifting of reporting restrictions.
The court heard how Lucas Sutton had been tricked into meeting the pair at a flat on Princess Road in Croydon. After walking to a local shop with the attackers, Lucas was fatally stabbed in Northbrook Road by Williams, who suddenly produced a knife and caught him completely unaware.
Lucas tried to flee but was chased down Mayo Road by Williams, who stabbed him again. The 22-year-old managed to burst into a nearby pub seeking help but collapsed shortly afterwards. Despite emergency services attending the scene, Lucas died in hospital shortly after the attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: “The evidence gathered and presented to the jury built up a clear picture of a plot to lure Lucas to an address in Croydon, act as if nothing was wrong, and then violently attack him.
“Lucas and one of the defendants had been friends but in the minds of the group, Lucas had crossed them by attempting to get rid of a firearm he had been holding onto. This perceived betrayal was the motivation for this deadly attack.
“It is clear in the weeks leading up to the murder that Lucas realised he was in danger but he did not suspect it was from those he thought of as his friends.
“This was a pre-meditated, callous act that has left Lucas’s family and friends utterly devastated. While those responsible have been held to account for their actions, I know this will do little to ease the unbearable pain Lucas’s loved ones continue to endure.”
In a joint statement, Lucas’s family said: “The murder of Lucas has left a large hole in our lives which can never be filled. Lucas wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes but he was ours. He had a bright future ahead of him, but it has been taken away from him. They have not only taken away a nephew but a son, a grandson, a brother, a cousin, a father, a partner, a friend and so much more. We sit at home in the evening almost expecting him to come in with a smile on his face, but he never does.
“He leaves behind his young son who will have to grow up without his best friend and father. It breaks our heart that he will never see his Dad again, we sometimes see him watching his friends playing with their dads, and we just think he will never have that.”
Detectives said analysis of Nelson-Palmer’s phone revealed the plotting between the attackers in the days leading up to the murder, with Snapchat messages clearly showing their intentions.
Williams and Nelson-Palmer were arrested in the week following the killing, after CCTV footage showed Williams chasing Lucas while wearing a distinctive balaclava. A similar item was later recovered from an address linked to Williams.
Friends and family had told investigators Lucas had appeared withdrawn and anxious in the weeks before his death, confiding to them that he feared for his safety.
A 19-year-old man who was also accused of Lucas’s murder was acquitted at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 3 April 2025.
