A ‘PREDATOR’ who stabbed a man to death for his second-hand Gucci designer bag has been convicted of murder.
Samuel Odupitan launched a frenzied attack on hotel concierge Tyler Roye, knifing him five times in the back and abdomen after following him off a tram.
Mr Roye — targeted for his £700 tiger-patterned bag (pictured) — was stabbed as he spoke on the phone to his girlfriend en route home in Croydon, south London.
The 24-year-old staggered to a friend’s house and was taken to hospital but died from injuries including a six inches lung wound.
Jurors heard Mr Roye had been returning from work in Stratford, east London, around 11pm on February 25. Boarding a tram at East Croydon railway station, he entered the same carriage as 23-year-old Odupitan, who had travelled from West Croydon. CCTV footage showed Odupitan watching Tyler intently, even moving seats to get closer to him.
When they reached the Arena tram stop, Odupitan followed him. Minutes later, Mr Roye’s girlfriend heard him say ‘Bro, bro’ before the line went dead.
At Croydon crown court, Odupitan was found guilty of murder. He had earlier admitted four knifepoint robberies in south London in late 2019, in which he wore a mask and robbed victims of their watches. He is due to be sentenced on Monday.
Outside court, Mr Roye’s mother, Cecilia Smith, said: ‘Odupitan is an evil predator and opportunist who preyed on my son for a bag. He robbed my son’s precious life. He is a danger to society.’
