By James Simons-
Two teenagers, including an 18-year-old from Enfield, have been sentenced to a total of eight years for their roles in the killing of 17-year-old Yeray Sanchez Morales,(pictured) who died after being attacked outside a McDonald’s in south London. Four other teenagers and a man have also been sentenced for violent offences connected to the events surrounding the attack.
None of those convicted were found guilty of murder. Yeray and a friend were sitting outside a branch of McDonald’s on Old Kent Road, Southwark, at around 10.46pm on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, when a group of young men approached them. The pair were stabbed in front of a crowd of teenagers before Yeray was kicked and struck with a bottle. He suffered nine wounds to his neck and chest and died in hospital a week later.
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Yeray’s friend, who survived the attack, told investigators that they did not know why they had been targeted. Following a major investigation and manhunt, specialist Metropolitan Police detectives identified seven boys and a man, who were aged between 15 and 20 at the time, at addresses across London.
Detective Sergeant Debbie Barge, who led the investigation, said Yeray was “just a teenager with his whole life ahead of him” and described his death as an act of violence that had deeply shocked the community. She also praised the teenagers who witnessed the attack and worked with police, saying their assistance had helped detectives bring those responsible to justice.
The investigation relied heavily on footage and digital evidence gathered after Yeray’s death. Detectives immediately appealed to teenagers who had witnessed the attack, eventually obtaining mobile phone footage showing what happened that night. Officers combined the footage with local CCTV to track the movements of those involved and identify individuals through distinctive clothing and their actions during the assault.
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Police also examined material shared on social media, including photographs of bloodied hands and knives, as well as voice notes which helped link suspects to the incident. One of the 16-year-olds was found to have booked a taxi to leave the area shortly after the attack. Specialist forensic work provided further evidence. One suspect was linked to the attack through DNA recovered from the rim of a bottle used to assault Yeray.
The court heard the individual outcomes for those convicted. Andres Tapia Londono, 18, of Willan Road, Haringey, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in custody. Christhofer Jesus Vasquez, 18, of Platts Road, Enfield, was also convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to four years. He had separately pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article.
He received a further one-year sentence for that offence, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. Isaac Ros Ramirez, 18, of Pamela Street, Hackney, was convicted of violent disorder and received a community order. Juan Betancourt Hoyos, 21, of Mount Pleasant Road, Haringey, was also convicted of violent disorder and given a community order.
Three 16-year-old boys were also convicted of offences arising from the incident. One was convicted of violent disorder and sentenced to 16 months. A second was convicted of violent disorder and given a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.
The third pleaded guilty to violent disorder, intending to cause grievous bodily harm and possessing a bladed article in relation to a second victim. He was given a community order. Yeray’s mother, Elena Morales, described her son as a “sensitive, happy, polite and generous young man” who was always ready to help others.
She said he loved dancing and singing and had completed the first year of a Sport Science course with ambitions of becoming a PE teacher. She said Yeray had a particular gift for making people feel welcome, especially newly arrived students at school and college. He would introduce them to other students, show them around and help them settle into life in London.
His mother said the family had been left with a wound that could never heal following his death, describing the court process and having to hear details of how her son died as unbearably painful.Elena Morales, Yeray’s mother, said: “Yeray was only 17 years old when his life was stolen. He was a sensitive, happy, polite and generous young man, always ready to help anyone who needed it. He had a special way of connecting with others, and a kindness that shone through everything he did.
“He loved to dance and sing. He had just finished the first year of a Sport Science course and he dreamt of becoming a PE Teacher. Yeray had his whole life ahead. He was in love and full of dreams and projects.
“I remember how his eyes shone when he was helping others. At school and in college, he always looked out for newly arrived students and supported them so that they would not feel isolated. He showed them around, introduced them to other students and did everything he could to make them feel welcome. He even gave them my telephone number so that we could help them adapt to a new life in London.
“That was the essence of Yeray: a person who always cared about others more than himself. His death has left a wound so deep that it can never heal. The sadness and pain have scarred our family and his friends forever. His absence is felt every day. Every birthday, every family occasion reminds us that Yeray should be there with us.
“As a mother, I have no words to describe the pain that crushes my soul. Burying my own son, going to the courts, hearing about how he died, the whole process has been unbearably painful. This sadness takes away my desire to live. But I am sustained by God, and by the support of my family and friends and all the professional teams that have treated me with such understanding and affection.”
“Every birthday, every family occasion reminds us that Yeray should be there with us,” she said.
Detective Sergeant Debbie Barge, who led the investigation, said: “Yeray was just a teenager with his whole life ahead of him. This was cruelly cut in an act of violence that deeply shocked the whole community.The unsolved death of Chelmsford teenager whose ‘mood changed’ moments before stabbing”The majority of the teenagers present were horrified by what they witnessed – we would like to thank them for working closely with us to bring those responsible for justice.
“Detectives worked quickly to track down the suspects, proving their roles in and surrounding Yeray’s death. Our thoughts remain with his family, and hope these convictions can bring them some degree of peace.”
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