A teenager has been convicted of murdering 13-year-old Jahziah Coke, who was stabbed to death inside his family home in Oldbury, West Midlands.
Brutal Attack in a Family Home
The schoolboy was found dead in the hallway of his home on Lovett Avenue on August 29 last year. He had suffered a single stab wound to the chest, driven with such force that it almost sliced through one of his ribs. The teenager responsible for the killing, who cannot be named for legal reasons, fled the scene by jumping over garden fences and later took a bus to a friend’s house to play video games.
Emergency Response and Forensics
Emergency services responded to a 999 call made by the attacker, but paramedics found Jahziah already dead at the scene. Blood evidence discovered on a kitchen chair suggested that an attempt had been made to clean up after the stabbing.
Murder Verdict Returned
Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court returned a 10-2 majority verdict, convicting the youth of murder. He showed no emotion as the verdict was read out. A man in his 40s who was also charged with assisting an offender was found not guilty. Another teenager initially charged with Jahziah’s murder was not prosecuted after the Crown offered no evidence against him.
Judge Praises Jurors in Tragic Case
Mrs Justice Tipples, presiding over the case, thanked the jury and excused them from any future jury service. She said: “This, as you well know, has been a tragic case in which a 13-year-old child was killed.”
Tributes to Jahziah
After the verdict, Jahziah’s mother described her son as a “very polite, kind and family-orientated young man. He was very loving and always smiling. His smile would light up the room. He was very kind-hearted.” The local community has been left devastated by the murder.
