Teen Found Guilty of Manslaughter in Pharell Garcia Hackney Stabbing

Pharell Garcia was only fifteen years old. He was stabbed on July 23 last year in Stellman Close around 4:05 p.m. Paramedics arrived, but they could not save him, and he died there.

A sixteen-year-old boy stood trial for the crime. The Old Bailey court concluded the trial on February 7. The jury found him guilty of manslaughter, but not guilty of murder.

The court learned the defendant was fifteen when he stabbed Pharrel in the heart. He chased him as he collapsed afterward and ran away instead of helping him.

He confessed to stabbing Pharrel but alleged he acted in self-defense. The jury did not believe his story. They used to be friends but had a fight shortly before the attack.

The defendant told a friend he would fight Pharell because Pharell talked about him badly. After Pharell’s death, police acted on tips and went to arrest the suspect at home, but he was not there.

Detectives found him at a friend’s house and arrested him on July 24th. CCTV showed him enter the park, put his hood up, and walk toward the site. He chased Pharell out with the knife and then threw the knife away.

Police found videos of him playing with knives from a week prior. He texted his mom after the stabbing, saying he could not come home and asked her to hide some items, then asked to go to Portugal.

The boy was charged on July 25 and will be sentenced on April 17. The detective in charge was Kelly Allen. She stated the boy failed to take responsibility and felt for Pharell’s family during the trial.

The detective described the weapon and said the boy claimed the victim brought it. Evidence showed the defendant was lying; he could have walked away instead or simply dropped it.

Instead, he chose to stab Pharell and chased him while still holding the knife. He watched Pharell collapse from his injuries and didn’t help him. Then, he ran off and hid the evidence.