Cousin Murdered at Wake
Man gets life sentence for murdering cousin at London wake with sawn-off shotgun
Key Points
Police were first called to reports of a shooting at the wake at around 11.20pm on 11 June 2025 in Claxton Grove, Hammersmith, with Jordan Rodney treated at the scene along with another man also in his 30s.
Investigators said Joseph tried to avoid identification by riding a black motorcycle to the scene, wearing a motorcycle helmet and removing the numberplates from his getaway bike; CCTV later showed the motorcycle returning to Eaton Rise, Ealing—Jordan Rodney’s cousin’s home.
At sentencing, Joseph told the court he believed Rodney was going to kill him; the BBC reports Judge Nigel Lickley was satisfied Joseph knew that if he did not take his medication his paranoia would return, and therefore found only a limited link between the schizophrenia and the offences.
The investigation lead, Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, said it was a “credit to the investigation team and armed response officers” that Joseph was “swiftly identified and arrested,” adding that Joseph’s efforts to conceal his identity were overcome by “exhaustive CCTV enquiries” and discovery of the murder weapon.
The jury’s guilty verdicts included not only murder and attempted murder, but also possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, dangerous driving, and possessing a prohibited firearm.
Jahmel Joseph, 29, was jailed for life on June 18, 2026, for shooting his cousin Jordan Rodney dead at a family wake in Hammersmith, west London. A judge at the Old Bailey set a minimum 39-year term before Joseph can apply for parole — one of the longest minimum terms handed down for a single murder in recent years. ITV News reported that Judge Nigel Lickley KC called the crimes acts "of the utmost brutality."
The killing happened on June 11, 2025, at a wake on Claxton Grove, Hammersmith. Joseph left after an argument, armed himself with a sawn-off shotgun, and returned on a motorcycle. He fired at close range, striking Jordan in the eye. Jordan's brother, Omar Joseph, was also hit in the head and hand but survived. Jordan died the following morning at Charing Cross Hospital, Metropolitan Police confirmed.
Joseph Planned the Attack Step by Step
The shooting was not impulsive. CCTV showed Joseph's Mercedes returning to his flat in Eaton Rise, Ealing, at 10:55 PM. Ten minutes later, a Yamaha MT-09 Tracer motorcycle left the area. Joseph had swapped vehicles, removed the bike's numberplates, and put on a helmet to hide his face. He arrived at the wake at around 11:15 PM and fired twice. A doorbell camera captured both shots at 11:15 PM, giving police a precise timeline, Evening Standard reported.
After the shooting, Joseph drove to Beaconsfield Services, bought a coffee, then returned home and lit a bonfire in his garden — apparently trying to destroy evidence, according to Bucks Free Press. His aunt called him that morning to accuse him. He denied everything, claiming he had been asleep. Police spotted his Mercedes in Isleworth at 8:10 AM. He fled, damaging around 20 vehicles in a chase before crashing head-on and running into gardens on Tolson Road. Officers arrested him shortly after. A black bag containing the sawn-off shotgun was found nearby.
Schizophrenia Defense Failed to Reduce the Charge
Joseph told the court he believed Jordan was going to kill him. His lawyers argued schizophrenia had put him in a paranoid state, pushing for a "diminished responsibility" finding — which under UK law can reduce murder to manslaughter. The jury rejected that argument after nine hours of deliberation. They convicted him on all counts: murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, dangerous driving, and possessing a prohibited firearm, BBC reported.
Judge Lickley found only a "limited link" between the schizophrenia and the crimes. He was satisfied Joseph knew that skipping his medication would bring his paranoia back — and chose to stop taking it anyway. That made the mental illness a factor, but not one that wiped out responsibility. The judge said Joseph showed "clear thinking" in how carefully he planned the attack and tried to hide his identity.
CCTV and the Murder Weapon Sealed the Case
Joseph went to significant lengths to avoid being identified. He wore a motorcycle helmet throughout the attack and stripped the numberplates from his bike. But investigators pieced together his movements using what Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila called "exhaustive CCTV enquiries." Footage tracked the motorcycle back to Eaton Rise — the address linked to Joseph — and established a clear timeline from his flat to the scene and back. Metropolitan Police said the swift identification was "a credit to the investigation team and armed response officers."
The recovery of the sawn-off shotgun, with Joseph's DNA on it, removed any doubt about the weapon used. Yahoo News reported that the combination of camera evidence and the murder weapon made Joseph's concealment efforts impossible to sustain in court. The jury reached its guilty verdict on May 13, 2026, after deliberating for nine hours.
Family Says Justice Cannot Replace What Was Lost
Jordan Rodney's mother, Ivinia Rodney, addressed Joseph directly in a victim impact statement. "We as a family will never understand why you committed such an evil and horrific crime to our son Jo Jo," she said, according to Evening Standard. The family described Jordan as a "wonderful character who could light up any room with his wit." They said the sentence gives some measure of justice, but cannot bring him back.
Judge Lickley also noted that the car chase put many more lives at risk. He said it could have resulted in a "double murder" had luck not intervened. Joseph will serve at least 39 years before he is eligible for parole — meaning he will be at least 68 years old before he can apply for release, ITV News reported.
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