On the evening of Sunday, September 16th, 2007, nineteen-year-old Edvin Johnson was fatally stabbed in the stairwell of Barnet House, a block of flats on the Crawford Estate in Camberwell, south London. Found around nine p.m. with a single severe stab wound to his groin or leg—severing a major artery—he bled to death despite efforts by emergency services. The young man, described by his family as a devoted son and aspiring business studies student with no known involvement in gangs, became one of the many victims of London’s escalating knife crime epidemic during that period.
Edvin lived on the Crawford Estate with his mother, Genevieve Johnson, and was attacked close to his home. Police were called to the scene shortly after the discovery, but despite immediate investigations, no one has ever been charged with his murder. A man was initially questioned in connection with the stabbing but was later released without charge. The Metropolitan Police believed the crime involved a group of youths, though a clear motive has never been publicly established. Some reports suggested possible links to gang activity in the area, but Edvin’s family consistently maintained that he was an innocent victim with no criminal ties.
The investigation saw renewed efforts over the years. In October 2010, the police offered a £20,000 reward for information leading to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of those responsible. On the tenth anniversary in September 2017, another appeal was launched alongside the reward, with detectives and family members again calling for breakthroughs. Despite these initiatives, including media coverage and community outreach, the case yielded no significant new leads and remains unsolved to this day, nearly two decades later.
Crime Immemorial 