On the morning of Monday, February 21st, 2005, twenty-year-old Justin Bernier was found dead in his flat at 297 Clapham Road, SW9, in the Clapham area of London. He had been stabbed multiple times, and a post-mortem examination confirmed that he died from massive blood loss caused by the knife wounds.
Police believe the attack occurred sometime late on Saturday, February 19th, or in the early hours of Sunday, February 20th. There were no signs of forced entry into the flat, suggesting that Justin may have known his attacker or let them in voluntarily. Detectives appealed for witnesses who might have been in the vicinity of 297 Clapham Road during that weekend timeframe.
Justin was portrayed by those who knew him as a gentle and vulnerable individual. Family members stressed that he “would not have harmed anyone,” and his death appeared utterly random and unprovoked. Living alone in his flat, Justin’s background and personal circumstances contributed to descriptions of him as a “vulnerable young man” in media reports. His uncle made an emotional public plea for information to help track down the killer, highlighting the family’s devastation.
In the weeks following the murder, police and family urged the public for any information. No clear motive—such as robbery or a dispute—emerged, and the absence of forced entry deepened the mystery. Despite extensive inquiries, no arrests were made, and the case eventually joined the list of unsolved homicides in the capital.
As of 2026, the Metropolitan Police have made no further progress toward finding Justin Bernier’s killer.
Crime Immemorial 