Dangerous offender convicted after Met investigation

A violent predator has been convicted of multiple offences against women following a complex investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

Simon Levy, 40 (14.08.1985), of Beaufoy Road in Tottenham was found guilty of murdering Carmenza Valencia Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkins in 2025, as well as two counts of rape, greivous bodily harm and intentional strangulation of another woman that same year.

The verdict was delivered at the Old Bailey on Friday, 7 August after a five-week trial. He will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 12 August.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said: “Carmenza Valencia Trujillo and Sheryl Wilkin’s lives were cut short by Levy’s horrific and violent actions and our thoughts remain with their families and friends. They have shown unwavering resilience throughout this investigation and the trial process.

“I must also commend the victim-survivor who showed considerable bravery and presented vital evidence in court. Her testimony was crucial in ensuring that Levy will now spend most, if not all, of his life in prison.

“I am proud of the work of my team in securing this verdict, but that work does not stop here. We remain relentless in pursuing offenders who perpetrate violence against women and girls and are appealing to anyone who is yet to report offences relating to Levy to come forward.

“Reporting rape or sexual assault is daunting - many victim-survivors will have concerns about speaking to the police – but we want to be clear that our priority is their safety and we continue to work with partners across London to raise awareness of the support we can provide.”

The investigation and timeline

Police responded to reports of an unresponsive woman in an abandoned building on the Aylesbury Estate, SE17 on Monday, 17 March 2025. She was sadly pronounced dead upon arrival of the emergency services and was later identified as 53-year-old Carmenza Valencia Trujillo.

Officers conducted enquiries and arrested Levy on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, 1 April 2025. However, a post-mortem examination could not provide a definitive cause of death, meaning police were unable to confirm whether there was any third-party involvement.

As a result, Levy was bailed while further investigative work was carried out. This is standard procedure as the charge threshold for murder is high and it could not be reached.

Five months later, on Sunday, 24 August 2025 at 06:30hrs, Sheryl Wilkins was found unresponsive in a car park in High Road, Tottenham. She was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. She was aged just 39.

An investigation began, with a post-mortem examination again unable to determine a cause of death. On Thursday, 4 September 2025, during CCTV enquiries, officers used facial recognition technology and identified Levy as being at the scene.

He was arrested the next day.

While in custody, the specialist crime unit worked to establish Levy’s offending pattern and explored unsolved cases with similar modus operandi. He was then re-arrested on suspicion of murdering Carmenza.

New evidence also led detectives to re-open a report of a rape and non-fatal strangulation of another woman, aged in her 30s, that had occurred in January 2025 in High Road, Tottenham.

Levy was charged with the murder of Sheryl, and the rape and non-fatal strangulation of the victim-survivor, on Sunday, 7 September 2025.

He was remanded in custody, and the investigation into Carmenza's murder continued. He was then charged with this offence on Wednesday, 19 November 2025.

All three charges were tied together as part of a single, joined investigation ahead of the trial at the Old Bailey.

The breadth and volume of his offending made the investigation incredibly challenging, and the force required a specialist prosecutor to work with detectives to form a thorough picture of his crimes.

The investigation team worked tirelessly to build a comprehensive case against Levy, including gathering and trawling through hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to piece together his movements on the days before, and evening of, the murders of Carmenza and Sheryl. The investigative team also discovered a match to Sheryl’s DNA on a jacket belonging to Levy, which presented indisputable forensic evidence to the court.

Offender management

The Met has since reviewed its handling of Levy and made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in January 2026. They are carrying out an independent investigation, which is ongoing.

As a result of this case, several improvements have been implemented across the force. This includes refreshed training around the way officers share intelligence to identify risk – such as an automated system which automatically flags when multiple forces need to be aware, or in contact with each other, as soon as an offender is charged.

On the ground, specialist officers are now deployed across Haringey and Enfield to strengthen the Met's work to protect vulnerable people involved in street‑based sex work across the areas. This work doesn’t replace existing policing but adds a dedicated focus on safety, support and tackling those who exploit others by working closely with partners and building trust with women at risk.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Kevin Southworth, said: “We know that this case has raised questions around the way Levy was handled and we have carefully reflected on the opportunities missed to prevent his violent offending.

“It highlighted that improvements needed to be made and we have not waited for the outcome of the IOPC’s report to implement change.”

The victims and victim-survivor

Throughout the investigation both Carmenza and Sheryl’s families have received specialist support and have been in regular contact with officers.

Carmenza’s children described her as a big character who was full of life. She welcomed a grandchild in 2024, and was a much-loved member of the community, often enjoying salsa- dancing.

Shery’s family said she was a much-loved woman and mother of four, who is missed every day by those who knew her.

Appeal for further victim-survivors to talk to police

Since the launch of the investigation, detectives have exhausted numerous lines of enquiry – including working with coroners – to identify whether Levy is responsible for any similar, unsolved incidents, including deaths.

While they are yet to find anything they believe to be linked to Levy, they are urging anyone who believes they may be a victim of his to contact police.

Reporting rape or sexual assault can be daunting and many victim-survivors will have concerns about speaking to the police.

Those with information about Levy who are yet to speak to police can do so via 101, quoting 4779/7AUG. People can also contact the incident room directly on 07751 700 330 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The Met has significantly strengthened its training and response to violence against women and girls. More than 23,000 officers and staff have now received bespoke training, complemented by strengthened specialist victim support services, ensuring a consistent and trauma-informed response.

Recent data shows positive outcomes improving, with arrests and charges for rape offences increasing by 116 per cent compared to last year. This positions the Met as the force with the highest detection and charge rate for rape suspects.

Transparency and accountability have also been improved through the launch of the publicly accessible VAWG dashboard, which consolidates over a decade of borough level crime data to support scrutiny, learning and continued improvement.