Musa Salih CONVICTED of Murder Over Chatham Basement Robbery Stabbing
Musa Salih, 19, has been found guilty of murder at Maidstone Crown Court after stabbing Harley Purdue eight times in a basement robbery plot before using AI for legal advice.
An Eritrean national from west London who lured a teenager into a communal basement toilet before stabbing him eight times in an unprovoked robbery plot has been found guilty of murder.
Musa Salih, 19, of Launceston Road, Greenford, Ealing, denied the murder of 19-year-old Harley Purdue but was convicted by a jury at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday 15 October 2026.
The court heard that following the fatal knife attack, Salih fled the scene to London and used an artificial intelligence application on his mobile phone to seek legal advice and monitor news updates regarding the killing.
The horrific sequence of events occurred at approximately 3am on 2 December 2025 at an address in Thorold Road, Chatham, Medway.
Prosecutors outlined how Salih, armed with a knife, devised a scheme to lure Mr Purdue down to the building's communal basement, intending to trap and lock him inside a toilet facility so that he could navigate up to the victim's bedroom unhindered to steal cash.
When Salih attempted to lock Mr Purdue inside the basement toilet, a violent struggle ensued during which Salih drew a blade and stabbed the teenager eight times.
Mr Purdue's girlfriend rushed to intervene during the assault, whereupon Salih attempted to injure her before fleeing the property and escaping the Medway area. Mr Purdue suffered fatal injuries in the attack.
Kent Police launched an immediate manhunt, swiftly tracking Salih down to Lewisham in south-east London where he was arrested later that same day.
A subsequent forensic examination of Salih's mobile phone revealed search history demonstrating that he had queried an AI app for legal guidance and updates about the stabbing shortly after committing the offence.
Salih stood trial at Maidstone Crown Court charged with murder and wounding with intent in relation to the victim's girlfriend.
Following deliberations on Thursday, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the murder count, while acquitting him of the wounding with intent charge.
Following the verdict, Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton of Kent Police stated that Salih's plan to steal money in the middle of the night while armed with a knife resulted in the tragic death of a young man and commended the strength and dignity displayed by Mr Purdue's family throughout the court proceedings.
Salih was remanded in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday 4 November 2026.
