'You are cowards' - mother of Bristol murder victim calls for killers to give themselves up

The mother of a teenager stabbed to death in Bristol has branded her son's murderers cowards as she begged them to give themselves up. 

Eddie King Muthemba Kinuthia, aged 19, died after being stabbed in Grosvenor Road's Triangle Park in St Pauls at around 11pm on Friday 21 July.

Irene Muthemba spoke on Thursday 10 August for the first time to detail the anguish the death of her son has brought to her family and the community. 

"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.

Five men have been arrested in connection with the murder investigation into the death of Eddie. The latest arrest happened on Tuesday 8 August and the suspect, a man in his 20s from Bristol, was released under investigation on Wednesday 9 August.A man who was arrested on Monday 7 August has been released on conditional police bail. Two other men also remain on bail.Another man, who was arrested near the scene shortly after the attack, has been eliminated from the investigation.

Irene said: "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."

His mother 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.

She 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."

Avon and Somerset Police still want to hear from anyone who was in Grosvenor Road or the park area between 10.30 and 11.30pm that Friday or saw two people in dark clothing riding an electric motorbike similar to a Sur-Ron in the area that night.

Detective Inspector Mark Almond, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are determined to get justice for Eddie and answers for his family, but we need help from people."

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and provide the call handler with the reference 5223175298, or quote Operation Barclay.

Or, you can provide information and footage online via the Major Incident Public Portal.