Group jailed for combined total of 189 years following double murder investigation

Five men have been jailed for a combined total of 189 years, after murdering two people and attempting to murder another man in Archway in 2023.

Lorik Lupqi, 21 (22.09.2003) of St John’s Way, N19, Abel Chunda, 29 (03.01.1996) of Caldy Walk, N1, Jason Furtado, 28 (18.12.1996) of Halton Road, N1, Eden Clark, 29 (28.01.94), of Huddleston Road N7 and Xavier Poponne, 21 (06.11.02) of Halton Road, Islington, N1 appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, 26 September after all previously being convicted of murder and attempted murder.

The sentencing concludes an extensive investigation into the murders of 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj.

Detective Inspector Jim Barry of Specialist Crime North said: “Today’s sentencing brings a lengthy and emotional investigation to conclusion. Leonardo and Klevi had no previous involvement with this group and their lives were taken after being mistaken for rival gang members.

“In court, Leonardo and Klevi’s mothers bravely shared the devasting impact that this group’s actions have had on their lives. I commend their strength at this unimaginably difficult time.

“This group of men each played a part in the murders of a young man and a boy. Whether they were carrying the knife used or cowardly tried to cover the rest of the group’s actions, every man here played a part and deserves to be in prison for a long time.”

On Thursday, 29 June 2023, there had been a large gathering on the Elthorne estate to film a music video.

Lorik Lupqi, a gang member from Islington saw this gathering at around 8:30pm and took it as an opportunity to hurt who he thought were gang opponents. He messaged his then girlfriend stating that “opps were outside.” She advised him to remain inside, but Lupqi decided to contact his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.

The men then messaged the other gang members, arriving at the scene two hours later when the filming had concluded. Leonardo and Klevi were in the area, along with many other local children and teenagers.

The group then fatally stabbed 15-year-old Leonardo Reid, who sadly died at the scene and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj who died in hospital. Another man also sustained serious stab wounds.

Following their murders, an extensive investigation was launched with dozens of dedicated officers working around the clock to review CCTV and phone data from the area. This phone data showed that there were 50 short phone calls between this group in the two hours before the murders. After the attack, the four went to Abel Chunda’s house and called organiser Furtado.

Chuna and Furtado were arrested on 3 July with Clarke travelling to the Suffolk coast and changing his appearance in an attempt to evade arrest. Met Officers quickly located him and arrested him on 12 July.

One suspect, Lupqi illegally travelled to Kosovo days after the murders. He had sent messages to his girlfriend, telling her not to wait for him. Met officers worked closely with the Kosovan authorities, the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service to extradite him back to the UK and arrest him at Luton Airport on 12 November 2024.

Following Poponne’s arrest in November 2023, damning lyrics were found in a drill song written the day after the murders. These lyrics glorified the murders and made references to elements of the attack which could only be known to those involved. In these lyrics, he also referenced how Leonardo and Klevi were not involved in gang criminality. Shortly after the murders, he also changed his social media name to ‘X3’ referencing the number of people he had stabbed.

Following a 15-week trial, all men were all convicted on Wednesday, 23 July of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj and attempting to murder another man.

The group appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, 26 September. All men were sentenced to life in prison, with Lupqi to serve a minimum of 39 years, Furtado must serve a minimum of 37 years, Chunda and Clark to serve a minimum of 38 years.

Poponne was also sentenced for possession with intent to supply, possession of a bladed article and possession of a class B drug and was sentenced to life to serve a minimum of 37 years.

During the sentencing, Klevi’s mother said:

"No punishment can bring my son back or fill the void his absence has created in my life. But a just sentence may perhaps serve as a deterrent to others, and prevent them from inflicting this pain on another family.

“Klevi’s final words to me echoed with a promise; he would be home in five minutes, instead, I was met at my door by officers, delivering news that forever altered the trajectory of my life. No mother should have to endure the agony of burying her own child, particularly due to such senseless violence.”

Leonardo’s mother said:

“I commend all the people that devoted and worked so hard in my son’s murder, all the time and effort spent to piece all the pieces together, I am very grateful and thankful.

“Leo my son was a beautiful, charming, intelligent 15-year-old boy. Just for the fact that another human being can treat another human so poorly, careless, without any disregard only means that you must not be bothered by your conscience. No number of years will ever justify your callous, vicious, and cold-blooded murder of a poor innocent 15 years old boy with his whole life ahead of him.”

Detective Inspector Jim Barry added: “This group of men will now spend a huge part of their lives behind bars for their senseless and violent actions.

“They murdered two people and seriously injured another over a nonsensical belief that they were gang members. Their actions that day will continue to have a devastating impact.”