Two cleared of Tanesha Melbourne-Blake murder after four trials
Marcus La Croix and Michael Clarke were acquitted of killing the 17-year-old in Tottenham in 2018.
Two men, Marcus La Croix and Michael Clarke, have been cleared of murdering Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, a 17-year-old girl who was fatally shot in Tottenham on 2 April 2018. The acquittals followed four trials at the Old Bailey. Reporting restrictions were lifted by Judge Mark Dennis KC at the conclusion of the legal proceedings.
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot as she socialised with friends in Tottenham on the evening of Easter Monday in 2018. She was dancing and playing games when a car stopped, and shots were fired from a window. She collapsed and died at the scene, calling for her mother.
Lengthy Legal Process
Marcus La Croix, 38, from Hackney, was cleared of murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life following a retrial earlier this year. Michael Clarke, 37, from Luton, had a retrial where a jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict. On Friday, the prosecution offered no evidence against Clarke, and he was formally acquitted of the same charges.
Tanesha's mother reportedly left court in tears after a jury delivered verdicts following 13 hours and 34 minutes of deliberation. Her family had attended a total of four Old Bailey trials concerning the case.
Context of Violence
The court heard that Tanesha's killing occurred during a period of intense gang violence in north London. Jurors were informed that the incident followed an event the day before in which La Croix was reportedly beaten up, with footage shared online. Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was described as not associating with gangs and may not have been the intended target. Her boyfriend stated that neither he nor Tanesha were involved with gangs and had no known issues with anyone.
A month after the shooting, a street cleaner found the firearm used in the incident. Ballistics examination revealed that a bullet recovered from Tanesha's body was fired from the same weapon used in the fatal shooting of Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, in Walthamstow in March 2018. The court was told of a 'longstanding enmity' and territorial rivalry between criminal gangs operating in north London at the time.
Questions this report answers
01Who has been cleared of murdering Tanesha Melbourne-Blake?
Marcus La Croix, 38, and Michael Clarke, 37, have been cleared of murdering Tanesha Melbourne-Blake. They faced multiple trials at the Old Bailey over the killing of the 17-year-old in Tottenham in 2018.
02When and where was Tanesha Melbourne-Blake killed?
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was fatally shot in Tottenham on the evening of 2 April 2018. She was with friends at the time of the incident.
03What was the significance of the firearm used?
The firearm recovered in connection with Tanesha Melbourne-Blake's death was also used in another fatal shooting. It was linked to the death of Joseph Williams-Torres in Walthamstow in March 2018.
Support is available without a police report
Find London services, specialist support and the rights set out in the Victims’ Code. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Find victim supportSend a correction or case update
If a hearing, charge or outcome has changed, send the court, case number and source document so we can update the record.
Contact the desk
