THAMES Valley Police have announced on Wednesday, August 24, that six people have been convicted in connection with the murder of Reece Heffernan last October.
After a five-week trial, Tuviah Thompson-Hordle,18, of Brant Close, Arborfield, was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of murder, one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
Carlos Daniel Capitao Mor Da Fonseca, aged 24, of Fawn Drive, Three Mile Cross was convicted by unanimous jury verdict of one count of murder and one count of conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
Fonseca had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice at a previous hearing.
The 17-year-old boy from Earley was found guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of murder and one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
They had also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug earlier on in the trial.
Madison Henderson, 19, of Kings Road, Reading, was convicted by unanimous jury verdict of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
Damian Wozniak, aged 19, of Kings Road, Reading had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiring to pervert the course of justice and conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
Hamzah Ahmed, aged 19, of Jubilee Road, Reading, was found not guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of murder and one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Earlier in the trial Ahmed pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
Umer Arshad, aged 24, of Waterloo Road, Wokingham, was found not guilty by unanimous jury verdict of one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and one count of conspiracy to supply a class B controlled drug.
On Sunday, October 31, 2021, officers were called to Romany Lane, Tilehurst, after reports of a stabbing.
Mr Heffernan, aged 22, was located, but died at the scene.
Thames Valley police’s major crime unit made a number of arrests over a period of several days, with three men and a boy then charged with murder.
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Andy Howard of Thames Valley Police’s major crime unit, said: “This was a tragic incident in which a young man lost his life.
“Although not all of the defendants physically attacked Reece, three of them were proven to have played a part in his death.
“This was a chilling incident, both in terms of the speed of the attack on Reece, but also because I do not believe that Reece was the intended target for this group.
“The three males responsible for Reece’s murder were intent on serious violence that night and they spent some time driving around Tilehurst before they saw Reece and two of his friends in Romany Lane. For reasons that remain known only to them, as they drove past Reece and his friends they decided to launch a sudden and brutal attack, which tragically resulted in Reece’s death.
“None of those convicted have taken any responsibility for their actions, either in carrying out this attack, or in seeking to cover up evidence afterwards.
“I am pleased that the jury convicted the defendants on the basis of the evidence presented, and I would like to thank them for their careful consideration of the case.
“On behalf of the investigation team and Thames Valley Police as a whole I would like to extend my condolences to Reece’s family and friends.
“They have shown tremendous patience and dignity throughout the course of the investigation and trial.
“These verdicts will not bring Reece back and will not fill the void that his death has left but I hope that his family and friends are at least able to feel that justice has been served, and that those responsible for Reece’s death have been held to account for their callous actions, along with those that supported them in trying to conceal and dispose of evidence.”
Thompson-Hordle, Fonseca and the 17-year-old boy are due to be sentenced at the same court on Monday, September 12.
Ahmed, Henderson and Wozniak are due to be sentenced at the same court on 21 October.
