Reward Over Year-Old Murder Case

London police have announced a £20,000 reward on the first anniversary of the murder of a man who was shot by suspects travelling in a stolen car in Croydon.

Police were called to Mitcham Road, Croydon at 9.20pm on Wednesday 26 November last year, following reports of a man being shot.

Ricardo Cox, 20, of Mitcham Road, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

He had been shot twice in the upper body with what is believed to be a distinctive 22 calibre firearm, possibly a revolver.

Ricardo had been walking along Mitcham Road with his brother Oniel when a stolen black Honda Civic (Hybrid) - registration DG56 XTR - pulled up alongside them and a number of shots fired.

The gunman was in the front passenger seat and is described as a light-skinned black man, aged 18-20 years, with short Afro style hair and clean-shaven. He had a deep voice and was wearing a thin black jacket. The two other men in the car are described as black.

The stolen Honda was found abandoned. The car was recovered on the afternoon of Monday 1 December 2008 on Peall Road, Croydon having been abandoned by at least two men.

The lower half of the front bumper was missing, but subsequently located on Mitcham Common.

Police are renewing their appeal for witnesses and have secured a £20,000 reward for anyone who provides information that leads to a conviction.

Juliette Mitchell, Ricardo's aunt, said: "Ricky your life was a short journey, yet we are of the past living in the future without our Ricky. Someone out there must have known something.

"Family and friends of those responsible for your murder, put yourselves in our position, bring those perpetrators to justice.

"Our lives have been destroyed by those responsible for Ricardo's murder. Help the police to stop them before they destroy other people's lives. There is a £20,000 reward for anyone with information leading to their conviction."

Commenting, DCI Damian Allain, of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said: "We are one year on from the murder of Ricardo Cox and I am still in no doubt that there are people within the community who have information that could help our investigation.

"It is likely that the people involved in this incident may have boasted of their crime to friends or associates and I would ask that these people contact us. Ricardo's family deserve to know what happened that night and have a right to see his killers brought to justice," he said.

Officers and the family will be in Croydon on Thursday 26 November where they will be handing out appeal flyers.

There have been several arrests in connection with the inquiry - all were initially bailed to return pending further inquiries.

(BMcC/GK)