Latest news with #Wizard
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Cannabis changed me, claims 'sword killer who hacked boy aged 14 to death after hallucinating that his cat was causing "Armageddon"', court hears
A drug-crazed killer launched a samurai sword rampage hacking a 14-year-old boy to death after hallucinating that his cat was causing 'Armageddon', a court heard yesterday. Marcus Monzo, 37, admitted that he had been using cannabis 'extensively' which had changed his personality and caused a mental health decline. In the grip of a cannabis-induced 'psychotic disorder', the Brazilian is said to have strangled, skinned and deboned his cat, Wizard, before attempting to eat it. Minutes later, Monzo is alleged to have set off with the animal's remains on a baking tray, a number of swords and a ball-bearing gun on a mission to kill, shouting 'does anyone believe in God'. Yesterday Monzo claimed he could not remember killing Daniel Anjorin, 14, as he was walking to school. Nor could he remember ramming a pedestrian with his van or charging into a nearby house and attacking a terrified couple in their bedroom in front of their four-year-old child during the 20-minute rampage in Hainault, east London, on April 30 last year. Yesterday Monzo told the Old Bailey that he had been consumed by 'paranoia and anxiety'. Monzo claimed he stopped smoking cannabis in 2015 because it changed his personality, but he started using cannabis daily again in 2023. But he denied smoking cannabis on the day. In the days before the attack, Monzo said: 'I believed the cat was being used against me and I started receiving guidance, communication... telling me to kill the cat.' He tried to cook Wizard, but he became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was occurring. Monzo wept while giving evidence saying he did not intend to harm anybody, adding: 'My memory after I left my home... gradually it becomes very vague and abstract... not very clear.' Monzo denies murder, attempted murder, aggravated burglary by entering a property with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, wounding with intent and having an article with a blade or point, namely a kitchen knife. The trial continues.
Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Telegraph
Alleged sword killer ‘tried to eat own cat'
An alleged sword attacker has told a court how he tried to cook and eat his cat before killing a schoolboy. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before allegedly launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while under the influence of cannabis, prosecutors say. He is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple - Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania - in their home on April 30 last year. Giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Friday, Monzo wept as he said he did not intend to harm anybody when asked about why he bought swords. He told jurors that in the days before the alleged attacks he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces'. He said he took the animal to a park to get rid of it, but it had returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the alleged rampage, and that he then strangled it despite not wanting to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back, I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors: 'I didn't have time to eat the cat.' He then put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening. I didn't know exactly what. I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. Prosecutors say he allegedly used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before his victim managed to escape. Asked why he changed direction, Monzo said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day. Why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' Prosecutors allege he then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield allegedly chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. It is also claimed he struck Insp Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. The defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was Tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Insp Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Sword attack accused ‘had no time to eat cat' and recalls nothing of killing
An alleged sword attacker has told a court he tried to cook and eat his cat, believing it was 'against' him, but claimed to have no memory of killing a schoolboy during a rampage in London. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his pet cat Wizard before launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while allegedly under the influence of cannabis, prosecutors say. He is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple in their home on April 30 last year. Monzo wept while giving evidence at the Old Bailey on Friday as he said he did not intend to harm anybody when asked about why he bought the swords. He told jurors that in the days before the attacks he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces' and he took it to a park to get rid of it. He said the cat returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the rampage, and that he strangled it despite claiming he did not want to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors 'I didn't have time to eat the cat', so he put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening, I didn't know exactly what, I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. He used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before the victim escaped, jurors heard. Asked why he changed direction, the defendant said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day, why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' He then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, the court heard. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. He also struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. However, the defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo said he was smoking cannabis 'three or four times a week' before the attack, but denied doing so on the day. Jurors heard that he told an expert that cannabis was a 'major contributor' to the rampage, but he played down its effects on Friday. He told jurors he did not think it 'guided' the killing. Monzo had earlier spoken of taking psychedelics and drinking his own urine years before amid an interest in spirituality. Around 2017, he began following YouTube spiritual guru Sadhguru, which led to a year-long stay in India, jurors heard. Monzo said he was taught at a retreat to detach from family and friends. During a weekend trip, he took ayahuasca — a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America. He returned to the UK 'looking skinnier', before travelling to a remote part of Brazil to consume more ayahuasca, the court heard. Monzo also said he took ayahuasca twice in the UK, describing it as having stronger effects during 'ceremonies'. He later travelled again to Brazil and India, and also attended breatharian festivals in Italy and Denmark, which promote living without food, jurors were told. On his return to the UK, Monzo said he argued with family members because he was 'not very clean'. The defendant told the court he began drinking his own urine for 'cleaning' purposes. He added: 'I would use it to shower, on the hair, even using it on the nose.' After the attack, he likened events to Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a 'professional assassin', the court heard. Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Mr Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- The Independent
Murder accused killed pet cat before 20-minute spree of violence, court told
An alleged sword attacker tried to cook and eat his pet cat, but claimed to have no memory of killing a schoolboy during a rampage in London. Prosecutors say Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, skinned and deboned his cat Wizard before launching a 20-minute spree of violence in Hainault, east London, while allegedly under the influence of cannabis on 30 April last year. Monzo is accused of murdering 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin, as well as mowing down pedestrian Donato Iwule with a van and attacking two police officers and a couple in their home on April 30. At the Old Bailey on Friday, Monzo cried as he said he did not intend to harm anybody. In the days before the attacks, Monzo said he 'received guidance and communication' in his head that the cat 'was being used against me by negative forces'. He told jurors he took his pet cat to a park to get rid of it. He said the cat returned to his Newham flat on the morning of the rampage, and that he strangled it despite claiming he did not want to. Asked why it was skinned, he told jurors: 'After I strangled him he (the communication) was telling me that the cat had taken energy from me and to replenish and get the energy back I had to eat the cat.' Monzo said he tried to cook it, but became 'panicked and rushed', believing an event 'like an Armageddon' was happening. The defendant told jurors 'I didn't have time to eat the cat', so he put it in the back of his Ford Transit and picked up swords, a ball bearing gun and a backpack containing clothes. He said: 'I had this idea that the world was collapsing… something big was happening, I didn't know exactly what, I had the idea that I wasn't coming back.' Monzo said he then set off towards his parents' house. He used his van to knock Mr Iwule into a garden, then slashed him in the neck with a samurai sword before the victim escaped, jurors heard. Asked why he changed direction, the defendant said: 'That is something I have thought about a lot, every day, why just a block away from my parents house? A block later I would have arrived at their house.' He then virtually decapitated Daniel, who was wearing headphones on his way to school, the court heard. Pc Yasmin Mechem-Whitfield chased the defendant through alleyways before he struck her three times with the sword which had a 60cm blade, prosecutors say. Monzo then allegedly entered a property and attacked a couple who were sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with their young daughter nearby. He also struck Inspector Moloy Campbell once with the sword before he was arrested. However, the defendant said he had no memory of what happened until he was tasered. He told jurors: 'My memory after I left my home… gradually it becomes very vague and abstract… not very clear.' Monzo said he was smoking cannabis 'three or four times a week' before the attack, but denied doing so on the day. Jurors heard that he told an expert that cannabis was a 'major contributor' to the rampage, but he played down its effects on Friday. He told jurors he did not think it 'guided' the killing. Monzo had earlier spoken of taking psychedelics and drinking his own urine years before amid an interest in spirituality. Around 2017, he began following YouTube spiritual guru Sadhguru, which led to a year-long stay in India, jurors heard. Monzo said he was taught at a retreat to detach from family and friends. During a weekend trip, he took ayahuasca — a hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in South America. He returned to the UK 'looking skinnier', before travelling to a remote part of Brazil to consume more ayahuasca, the court heard. Monzo also said he took ayahuasca twice in the UK, describing it as having stronger effects during 'ceremonies'. He later travelled again to Brazil and India, and also attended breatharian festivals in Italy and Denmark, which promote living without food, jurors were told. On his return to the UK, Monzo said he argued with family members because he was 'not very clean'. The defendant told the court he began drinking his own urine for 'cleaning' purposes. He added: 'I would use it to shower, on the hair, even using it on the nose.' After the attack, he likened events to Hollywood film The Hunger Games and claimed to have an alternative personality of a 'professional assassin', the court heard. Monzo denies Daniel's murder and the attempted murders of Mr Iwule, Sindy Arias, Henry De Los Rios Polania and Ms Mechem-Whitfield, as well as wounding Mr Campbell with intent. He also denies aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article relating to a kitchen knife. Monzo admits having two swords. The trial continues.
Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Telegraph
Watch: Hainault swordsman vows to do ‘ninja stuff'
A man accused of murdering a 14-year-old schoolboy with a Japanese sword said he would 'do some ninja stuff' as he unboxed the weapon. Marcus Arduini Monzo, 37, is on trial accused of murdering Daniel Anjorin, 14, as he walked to school in Hainault, north-east London, on April 30 last year. In footage shown at the Old Bailey, Mr Monzo was filmed removing the weapon from its packaging on April 4 2024, just weeks before the attacks. The self-filmed iPhone video recorded him exclaiming 'wow' and 'freaking sexy' before telling the camera: 'This just came through the post.' He added: 'This is very ninja stuff. I'm sort of obliged to do some ninja stuff.' The footage shows the martial arts enthusiast practising swinging the sword. A ginger cat, which Mr Monzo refers to as 'Wizard', also appears in the footage. Prosecutors previously told the jury that Mr Monzo 'skinned and deboned' a cat before the attacks. In the video, he is wearing a yellow Quiksilver hooded jumper which jurors have previously been told was worn during the attacks. The court heard Mr Monzo purchased two handmade katana swords from Japan for £427.80 on Feb 21, 2024, which were delivered to his home in early April. The Spanish-Brazilian national, from Newham, east London, was charged with murder after being arrested near the scene of Daniel's murder. He is also accused of attacking four others, including two police officers, during a 20-minute rampage. Mr Monzo has denied eight of the 10 charges against him, including murder. The trial heard last week that Mr Monzo believed 'he was in a battle against evil forces' during the attacks and that he had experienced psychotic episodes after taking cannabis. Jurors were told that his mental state had been 'materially altered' by cannabis use and, at the time of the alleged attack, he had 'developed a cannabis-induced fully fledged psychotic episode characterised by reality distortion symptoms'. Tom Little KC, prosecuting, said Mr Monzo was 'informed by his delusional beliefs that he and his family were in mortal danger, and that he was engaged in a battle against evil forces at a time of revelation or Armageddon'. The court was previously told Mr Monzo left his home at 6.30am in his grey Ford Transit work van, which he drove at Donato Iwule, a pedestrian, on Laing Close at 6.51am. Mr Monzo then allegedly exited the vehicle to swing his sword at Mr Iwule, who was able to roll away and escape over a fence. He is accused of then approaching Daniel from behind as he walked to school and then inflicting 'a devastating and unsurvivable chopping injury to the left-hand side of Daniel's face and neck'. Mr Monzo is said to have then attacked Pc Yasmin Margaret Mechem-Whitfield as she pursued him down a series of alleyways, before entering a nearby house where he attacked a couple – Sindy Arias and Henry De Los Rios Polania – in their bedroom. He is then accused of attacking another officer, Insp Moloy Campbell, before being disarmed and detained. In court last month, Mr Monzo denied eight of the 10 charges against him but admitted two counts of having an offensive weapon – a katana sword and a tanto katana sword. The trial continues.
