'Latin Gang' who sliced off man's fingertips as they hacked him to death in London machete fight face life in jail

Published: 08:41, 16 April 2026 | Updated: 08:41, 16 April 2026 Five killers who sliced off a man's fingertips as they hacked him to death with machetes in south London are facing life sentences. Giovanny Rendon Bedoya, 21, died in a 'vicious' onslaught from a South American gang in Hillingdon Street, Walworth, last April. He had just moved into a flat on the street, where he was squatting. Angel Gonzalez Angulo, 19, Christian Batista-Gonzalez, 23, Brian Villada-Hernandes, 19, Zozoro Boizo, 21, and Joseph Jimenez, 22, denied murder but were all convicted after 18 hours of jury deliberation. The court was told how the victim, Giovanny, was chased into an alleyway near Hillingdon Street and Langdale Close, SE17, where he was cornered and ambushed by the gang. Metropolitan Police officers arrived at the scene just after 9:15 pm on April 14 last year, following reports of a knife fight, finding Giovanny behind a block of flats with catastrophic stab wounds.  Despite the emergency services' frantic attempts to save his life, he was pronounced dead less than an hour later. A post-mortem examination confirmed that Giovanny died from 'multiple sharp-force injuries'. Giovanny Rendon Bedoya (pictured), 21, died in a 'vicious' onslaught from a South American gang in Hillingdon Street last April Bryan Villada Hernandez (pictured), 20, was apprehended at the scene shortly after the murder as forensic analysis later identified the victim’s blood on his tracksuit Joseph Jimenez (pictured), 22, was eventually tracked down and arrested in Chichester after fleeing the capital Detectives believe the targeted killing was the result of escalating tensions between two rival groups in the area.  Hernandez was apprehended at the scene shortly after the murder; forensic analysis later identified the victim’s blood on his tracksuit, which also bore slash marks consistent with a knife struggle.  Digital forensics further implicated the group, as messages recovered from Hernandez’s phone revealed panicked discussions regarding the destruction of evidence and the movement of police.  To piece together the group’s movements, Metropolitan Police detectives reviewed over 1,500 hours of CCTV footage.  Footage identified a property on Langdale Close being used as a squat by the attackers.  Immediately following the killing, Angulo and Boizo fled the squat by taxi to seek refuge at a friend's house.  CCTV later captured Angulo changing his clothes and carrying a bin bag, which prosecutors say contained the murder weapons and blood-stained clothing.  While some were caught quickly, others attempted to evade justice by fleeing internally and internationally. Jimenez was eventually tracked down and arrested in Chichester after fleeing the capital.  Most notably, Gonzalez managed to flee the country entirely. Following an international search, he was located and arrested near Barcelona on May 19, 2025, before being extradited to the UK to stand trial for the brutal killing  On Tuesday, exactly one year after the fatal attack, a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts following an intensive investigation by the Met.  Prosecutor Anthony Orchard, KC, earlier said: 'At 9.15pm on 14 April 2025 Giovanny Rendon Bedoya was chased by a group of armed youths onto the grass area behind the block of flats into which he had just moved in Walworth. 'The group of five armed youths attacked him. The attack was vicious. Three of the fingertips of Giovanny Bedoya's right hand were severed. Angel Gonzalez Angulo (pictured), 19, was later captured on CCTV changing his clothes and carrying a bin bag, which prosecutors say contained the murder weapons and blood-stained clothing Immediately following the killing, Olivier Boizo (pictured), 21, fled the squat by taxi to seek refuge at a friend's house Christian Batista Gonzalez (pictured), 22, managed to flee the country entirely. Following an international search, he was located and arrested near Barcelona on May 19, 2025 'He suffered two substantial injuries to his left eye and face, and further injuries to his body, and his lower limbs. 'A total of at least twelve knife or machete-related injuries were subsequently identified. 'The five defendants chased him. He was cornered and set upon by the whole group. He was defenceless. He had no weapon with him. 'He was surrounded in a corner at the rear of the block of flats and attacked. 'Several members of the public called the emergency services to a group fighting in the street with knives in the areas of Hillingdon Street and Langdale Close. 'The armed attackers ran off. Giovanny Bedoya was left dying. 'When police and paramedics arrived, they found Giovanny Rendon Bedoya collapsed on the ground on the grass area. 'Giovanny Bedoya was pronounced dead 53 minutes later.' Police went to a nearby address where people were squatting and arrested Villada-Hernades and his girlfriend, the court heard. All the defendants had been at that address before the stabbing, Mr Orchard said. Mr Orchard said: 'There had been a dispute between Giovanny Bedoya's friends and these defendants which developed into a violent attack by these defendants. 'The attack had been triggered by the incident that had just occurred between Christian Batista-Gonzalez and four of Giovanny Bedoya's friends, but the nature and ferocity of the attack on Giovanny Bedoya was at a vastly different level. 'That ferocity is evidenced by the number and severity of his injuries.' Gonzalez Angulo, of Camberwell, Batista-Gonzalez, of Leyton, Villada-Hernandez, of Lambeth, Boizo, of Southwark, and Jimenez, of no fixed address, denied but were convicted of murder. Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a sustained and extremely violent attack, carried out by a group acting together. 'Giovanny was chased and killed in brutal circumstances, and today's convictions reflect the strength of the evidence and the determination of the investigation team. 'Our thoughts remain with Giovanny's family and loved ones, who have shown immense dignity throughout these proceedings. 'Such brutality has no place on our streets - it rips families and communities apart. 'That's why the Met is doing everything it can to target dangerous offenders and prevent senseless violence.' 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