Juvenile Convicted in Mother’s Fatal Shooting Through Doorway

A young person has been convicted of killing a 42-year-old mother, who was fatally shot through her front door while attempting to shield her children from gang-related violence. Lianne Gordon had recently come back from a vacation in Jamaica with her two offspring when she sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head within her residence in Hackney, east London, on December 5, 2023. A male juvenile, aged 17, whose identity is legally protected, was found guilty of her murder, in addition to two charges of attempted murder, affray, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and possession of an article with a blade or point. Testimony at the Old Bailey indicated that Ms Gordon was an accidental casualty of a conflict between competing local gangs. Prosecutor Mark Fenhalls KC informed the jury that the defendant was linked to the Pembury Gang from Hackney and involved in distributing Class A and B drugs. The gang was engaged in a disagreement with the Amhurst Road gang, and the occurrences preceding Ms Gordon’s killing seemed to represent “an escalation of violence towards anyone believed to be associated with the A-Road gang.” On the day of the homicide, Ms Gordon’s son, Kaymound, received a message via Instagram from the 17-year-old defendant stating, “stop viewing my story and tell me where u friends are”. Ms Gordon’s daughter, aged 16, and her son, aged 21, were both present at the residence when the fatal incident occurred. The court heard that around 18:00 GMT, Ms Gordon’s daughter had perceived gunshots originating from outside the dwelling, which she initially mistook for a fireworks altercation. Upon descending the stairs, she observed her mother with her hand positioned on the front door, seemingly attempting to shut it, and a “gun tip” protruding through the partially open door. “I saw her drop. I went to her,” the 16-year-old informed law enforcement. “As soon as my mum took her last breath and I was still hearing gunshots and… I opened the front door and I was screaming at him… and he stared directly in my face.” She stated that a motion-activated light had illuminated, enabling her to clearly view the defendant, and despite him wearing a balaclava, she was able to discern enough of his facial features to identify him. “Everything happened in slow motion. We were face on for a few seconds, maybe five, before he ran off,” she recounted to police. In the vicinity of the residence, she observed two males—Amani Adams-McGuire and a 16-year-old boy who was her romantic partner—both of whom had also sustained gunshot wounds. She reported having shouted at the assailant, who subsequently departed on his bicycle. A firearms specialist testified in court that evidence indicated eight shots were discharged from the identical pistol on December 5, and that the bullet fired through the front door in Vine Close had impacted Ms Gordon’s head. Law enforcement personnel investigating the murder subsequently uncovered that the 17-year-old defendant had conducted approximately 65 searches on a computer located in his bedroom concerning the homicide. “The only sensible conclusion to draw from this activity on this computer is that the defendant had made it home in the early evening and was searching to see what was being reported about what he had done,” the prosecutor stated. Additionally, lyrical content detailing the murder was found within the defendant’s prison cell. The juvenile provided testimony, refuting his involvement in any of the alleged crimes. He had been released on bail for an attempted murder charge at the time of Ms Gordon’s killing and was subsequently convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court, as presented to the court. A second individual charged, Elijah Seriki, 21, from Hackney, was cleared of charges including threatening another with a knife, affray, possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, and having an article with a blade or point. The 17-year-old defendant was found not guilty of the charge of threatening another person with a knife. The jury spent over 21 hours in deliberation before reaching its verdicts. Judge David Aubrey informed the jury: “An innocent woman was murdered and her family’s loss is incalculable and they will live with that loss for the rest of their lives.” The pronouncement of the sentence has been postponed until a subsequent date.