Luis Guembes murder trial: Knife and bloodstained clothing found near accused's home, court hears

A knife containing DNA matching one of the teenagers accused of murdering Farnham schoolboy Luis Guembes was found near his home, alongside bloodstained clothing, a jury has heard.

Guildford Crown Court heard yesterday (October 21) that a knife believed to be a Morakniv, with an approximately 11cm blade, was discovered in a bush outside a bedroom window at the second defendant's address.

Partial DNA recovered from the knife matched the second defendant's DNA.

Police also recovered a coat, blue Crocs, a black-and-white beanie and a bag containing 21 pieces of cut-up clothing from the bush.

The court heard that bloodstains on the clothing and beanie produced DNA matches to Luis Guembes.

The evidence emerged during the murder trial of two teenagers accused of killing the 15-year-old near the Wildwood Adventure Centre in Stoke Park, Guildford, on January 19.

Both defendants deny murder. The second defendant has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and possession of a knife, while the first defendant denies all three charges.

The jury also heard how the first defendant described his co-accused as a “bully boy” during a police interview on January 22.

He told officers he did not know Luis.

He claimed he had been asked to keep watch while the second defendant went to take a phone from someone who allegedly owed him one.

The first defendant maintains that he tried to intervene in a fight before fleeing the scene.

Jurors also heard evidence that both defendants had spoken about “staining” the person who broke the second defendant's phone.

Two witnesses told the court they had heard the second defendant use the term.

They believed “staining” meant stabbing, although they thought the remarks were a joke at the time.

The court heard that Luis had reportedly broken the second defendant's phone at Foxenden Quarry approximately two months earlier.

The prosecution alleges that the dispute over the phone led to a plan to lure Luis to Guildford and rob him.

The jury was also shown a video attributed to the first defendant, reportedly recorded just over half an hour before Luis was last seen on CCTV.

In the recording, he says: “Guys, about go stain some silly yute bro, like. Helping out [the second defendant], yeah you know how it is. Yeah, I’ll let you know in it.”

Prosecutors allege the recording points to a plan involving both defendants.

They claim Luis was deliberately lured to Guildford under the pretence of helping to rob another boy referred to as “Harvey”.

According to the prosecution, the supposed robbery was a ruse and Luis was the intended target.

The court heard that Luis and the second defendant became connected after Luis posted a TikTok video filmed at Foxenden Quarry, where the dispute over the broken phone allegedly began.

The dispute reportedly developed into pressure on Luis to travel to Guildford to rob someone else to repay the debt.

Jurors heard that the first direct Snapchat contact between Luis and the second defendant took place at 4.38pm. Until then, they had communicated through a mutual friend.

Luis wrote: “Yo” and “I think I’m free at the weekend if u wanna do it this weekend.”

The second defendant then pressured Luis to travel to Guildford, claiming he had arranged for “Harvey” to be robbed that day.

Luis initially wanted to postpone the meeting until Wednesday because his mother did not allow him out on school nights.

However, a relative was attending a photography class in Guildford, and he persuaded his mother to let him go.

Luis was seen with a relative at the food court in the Friary Shopping Centre before heading towards the iStore, where they shook hands and he left towards the Friary Bus Centre.

At approximately 5.50pm, CCTV captured Luis walking along Lido Road towards the Wildwood Adventure Centre with one of the defendants.

There were no witnesses to what happened next in the park.

The court heard that the first defendant was seen leaving the area on his bicycle at approximately 5.58pm.

Jurors were also shown a separate video, allegedly recorded by the first defendant shortly after the events in the park.

In the recording, he appeared to describe the confrontation with Luis, saying the situation had “went south” before stating: “He got up punch me in the head, and I stabbed him bro and I think [the second defendant] did as well.”

The recording is among the evidence the jury will consider when determining what happened and the role allegedly played by each defendant.

Luis was discovered by Frederick Proud, who was walking home from work through Stoke Park.

Another man, Jose Buselli, also came across the injured teenager and recognised that he needed urgent medical attention.

Mr Proud ran to Guildford Spectrum to seek help, reporting that a boy had been stabbed.

Police arrived at the scene at 6.17pm and specialist emergency responders attended.

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