Machete murderer who 'slaughtered' teen in 'gang attack' at busy Smethwick shopping area jailed

A knifeman who "slaughtered" a teenager after hunting him down 'like prey' in a savage daylight attack has been jailed for life.

Cam'ron Dunn murdered student Derlano Samuels using a 'Rambo-style' machete to repeatedly wound the 17-year-old boy in the Black Country.

The brutal gang-related onslaught in Smethwick saw callous Dunn violently stab his victim with a blade he 'quite blatantly' brandished in public. 

He hid the knife in his waistband before pulling it out as passers-by watched on in shock in the busy shopping area.

One of the injuries was delivered with such 'ferocity', the tip of the murder weapon snapped and remained lodged in Samuel's head.

The 19-year-old murderer has now been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 20 years for the "shocking" attack.

Sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court today, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: "It was a brutal and sustained attack with a Rambo-style machete knife in which Derlano was repeatedly stabbed, pursued then cornered in a nearby shop and again repeatedly stabbed.

"[It was a] brazen, blatant attack without any care of the presence of members of the public going about there business or any care about the consequences.

"That is what made it all the more shocking." Dunn 'showed no mercy' when he killed his young victim for 'no reason whatsoever' when they crossed paths on May 1 last year.

Footage of the stabbings captured the killer cycling along High Street while Samuels was in the area with friends.

Samuels headed towards his attacker, who dropped his bike and reached for the concealed blade before stabbing him twice in the middle of the crossing in Cape Hill just before 4.10pm.

The teenager 'ran for his life' and attempted to take refuge inside the Nowa Polka shop in nearby Waterloo Road but he was chased and cornered in a back store room. He was then stabbed 'seven times in five seconds'.

Nursing his injuries, Samuels managed to leave the shop and was carried into a car parked outside. The victim was discovered soon after by police in Heath Street when the white Ford Focus he was in crashed.

He was pronounced dead in Heath Street at 5.25pm.

'It has all the hallmarks of being gang-related'

Judge Chambers added: "I'm satisfied to the criminal standard that this incident was indeed gang-related.

"All the inferences would suggest that there was a pre-existing tension or dispute between the protagonists and it has all the hallmarks of being a gang-related incident. It is quite shocking.

"It's quite clear that the defendant had little regard or concern for the impact [the incident] would have on others. It's an appalling case. Effectively, two young lives have been destroyed."

Derlano Samuels suffered 13 stab wounds

Samuels suffered multiple stabbings including defensive injuries to his hands and arms. One wound left the tip of the knife embedded in his head, while one of the 'most serious' included a 16cm injury to his chest.

He also suffered a 6cm gash to his lung. Dunn, who fled the scene after stabbing his victim to death, was arrested in the early hours of the morning the following day after being identified by a police officer.

Detectives raided his home after launching a murder probe and discovered a machete from under a sofa in the lounge, along with a freshly-washed blue tracksuit - consistent with clothing worn by Samuel's attacker.

A second machete was found in a barbecue in the back garden.

'He slaughtered Derlano', court hears

But the actual murder weapon has never been found. A stab vest from a wardrobe in the defendant's bedroom and a knife sheath hung over pipes in the downstairs toilet were also seized.

Dunn, of Sketchley Close, Smethwick , denied murder and instead said he acted in self-defence. He admitted a separate charge of having an article with a blade or a point ahead of his trial.

Jurors convicted him of murdering Samuel after deliberating for one hour and 35 minutes on March 8.

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley said to jurors in the trial: "When this defendant saw Derlano Samuels, the defendant was not in any way under attack.

"Derlano had done nothing more than walk towards him in broad daylight on a busy high street. The defendant couldn’t reasonably believe he was under any form of attack.

"Derlano Samuels had no weapon and he did nothing to warrant what was carried out on him. Dunn showed no mercy.

"Quite frankly, he slaughtered Derlano.

"This was not self-defence, this was an all-out attack."

She added: "He kept chasing him. We say he hunted him down, targeted him like prey."