Willesden Church Murder: Two Convicted over Drive-By Shooting

Two men have been found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of the murder of a mother-of-two who was shot outside a church in Willesden.

Perry Allen-Thomas, 27, and Amir Salem, 20, were convicted on Tuesday of the murder of Michelle Sadio and two counts of attempted murder.

The jury returned their verdicts following a trial at the Old Bailey concerning the drive-by shooting which occurred on 14 December 2024.

Ms Sadio, a 44-year-old legal administrator, was attending a wake at the River of Life Elim Pentecostal Church when shots were fired into a crowd on the pavement.

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The prosecution alleged that the intended target was the rapper Trapstar Toxic, real name Adetokunbo Ajibola, who was among the mourners.

The court heard that at least four shots were fired from a stolen black Kia Niro, hitting three innocent bystanders including children as young as five who were in the vicinity.

Ms Sadio died at the scene from her injuries while 39-year-old Kenneth Amoah was struck in the back and left paralysed below the waist.

A third man, Kadeem Francis, aged 32, sustained a gunshot wound to his foot during the incident.

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Perry Allen-Thomas, born 24 June 1998, was identified by investigators as the organiser of the attack who had sought to target a member of a rival gang.

Amir Salem, born 7 March 2006, acted as a coordinator between the gunmen and Allen-Thomas, providing updates via social media and telephone calls.

CCTV footage obtained from a garage in Neasden showed Salem purchasing petrol the day before the shooting, which was later used to destroy the getaway vehicle.

The Kia Niro was recovered by police on 15 December 2024 after it had been set alight on a recreation ground in the Chalkhill Estate.

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Forensic specialists recovered DNA from a petrol can discarded near the vehicle which linked the defendants to the disposal of evidence.

Digital forensic analysis of telephone data and ANPR cameras allowed detectives to track the movements of the suspects despite their efforts to conceal their identities.

Allen-Thomas had sought to provide an alibi using data from a curfew tag he was wearing following a previous release from prison.

Two other men, Shaquille Sutherland, 26, and Tahjin Sommersall, 19, were found not guilty of all charges by the jury.

The court was informed that two individuals believed to have been the gunmen inside the vehicle remain at large and are thought to have left the United Kingdom.

Ballistic analysis revealed that the firearm used in the killing had been discharged during two prior incidents in London, though the defendants were not implicated in those events.

Both convicted men were remanded in custody and are scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 19 June.