CCTV captures smiling killer buying knife in corner shop hours before murder

CCTV captured a smiling killer buying a knife – before he stabbed a 26-year-old man to death.

Sulaiman Tajzai, 18, pleaded guilty to the murder of Farmanullah Sherzad and possession of a bladed article at the Old Bailey on Friday.

CCTV showed Tajzai purchasing a knife from a corner shop in Leeds at 12:17pm before catching the train down to London to wait outside Farmanullah’s Westminster address.

Tajzai had travelled to London in the weeks before the attack to scope out Mr Sherzad’s home address and where he worked.

When Mr Sherzad arrived home from work at approximately 10:15pm, Tajzai chased him onto Abbey Orchard Street, where he fatally stabbed him on March 27, 2026.

A member of the public found Mr Sherzad unconscious and called the police, but despite the medical staff’s best efforts, the 26-year-old died 20 minutes later.

Tajzai ran away from the scene and tried to catch a train back to Leeds from King’s Cross station; however, he missed it and got onto another one just after 6am the following day.

He was arrested at his cousin’s house in Leeds on March 29 and police officers searched the address, seizing multiple items belonging to him including a pair of blood-stained trainers.

The alleged animosity against Mr Sherzad was said to have dated back to the autumn of 2025.

The prosecutor in the case cited a ‘pre-existing condition’ between the defendant’s cousin’s wife and Mr Sherzad, which had turned ‘sour’.

On October 3, police attended the couple’s home where they found Sherzad tied up on the floor and arrested him on suspicion of stalking and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence, the court heard.

However, he went on to claim to be in a relationship with the wife, saying he had come to Leeds to visit after she had invited him on social media platform Snapchat.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, said: ‘Our thoughts remain firmly with Farmanullah’s family and loved ones as they continue to come to terms with his tragic loss. This is a devastating case in which a young man lost his life after being subjected to a brutal and senseless act of violence.

‘I would like to commend the dedication and professionalism of the investigative team, who worked meticulously to piece together crucial CCTV, and forensic evidence to build a compelling case.’

He will be sentenced later this week.

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