A 36-year-old man has been convicted of murdering Marvin Dickson, 40, whose decomposed body was discovered in a London flats bathtub.

DNA and CCTV Snare Killer

Dante Forrest, from Moselle Avenue, Haringey, was found guilty today at the Old Bailey. Met Police used cutting-edge DNA evidence from blood found on a pizza box at the scene. They also pored over hundreds of hours of CCTV footage to track Forrests movements.

The footage revealed Forrest wearing Marvins trainers days after the murderthe same shoes the victim was last seen wearing before vanishing. Forrests attempt to cover his tracks failed as forensic experts matched blood stains on a shirt found in the flat to Marvins blood.

Disturbing Discovery in Dark Flat

Officers were called to Moselle Avenue on 20 September 2024 after neighbours complained of a foul stench. They found the flat locked, boarded up, and pitch black. Forced entry led them to Marvins body in the bathtub. He had been dead for roughly ten days.

A post-mortem revealed multiple injuries, including head fractures and several stab wounds. No signs of forced entry suggested the killer had access to the flat and locked it up after the crime.

Family Reacts to Conviction

On behalf of our family, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this case, Marvins family said.

While we are grateful justice has been served and the responsible person held accountable, no verdict can bring him back or ease our daily sadness. Marvin will forever be loved, missed, and remembered.

Detective Inspector Mark Johnson of the Mets Specialist Crime Unit said: Todays conviction will hopefully bring some closure to Marvins family. They have shown immense strength throughout this investigation.

Next Steps

Forrest was arrested on 25 September and formally charged with murder. He is due to be sentenced on 18 November at the Old Bailey.