Jaden Sheriff, 20 gets life for the murder of Robert Weston in Harrow. Triggered by an argument, he must serve at least 19 years.
Sheriff was found guilty of murder, but jurors acquitted him of a knife charge. Weston died at the scene with a 12-inch deep stab wound that punctured his heart, the court heard.
Three days before the murder, Sheriff spoke to his girlfriend, Jaid, wanting sex and citing “blue balls.” Jaid then told Weston about this situation. Weston said Sheriff was lying and that caused an argument to start.
The prosecutor said Sheriff was upset that Weston exposed his lie about needing sex. Instead of admitting it, he got angry and directed his anger at Robert Weston. Sheriff apologized to Jaid that morning, saying he did not know what came over him.
The court heard Sheriff followed Weston inside Weston’s home. He punched and insulted Weston in a bedroom where Weston begged him to stop hurting him. Jaid saw him retreat to the floor and, trying to intervene, Sheriff pulled her away, ripping her hair extensions.
Sheriff stabbed Weston two times. Weston left the house after this, then collapsed in the street where he died. Weston’s loved ones talked about their loss, stating their lives were shattered by his death.
Weston’s mother stopped working because she could no longer leave her house, experiencing panic and anxiety, she says. Life will never be the same for her and she will carry grief every day.
Weston’s sister said his loss affected her family, leaving them feeling an emptiness that cannot be filled. She thinks about his lost future and his death shattered them all, making them carry this burden forever.
The judge gave the sentence on Valentine’s Day, saying no sentence can bring Weston back. She also stated that she could not find words to comfort the family. People were crying during the sentencing while Sheriff blew a kiss to the gallery.
After the stabbing, Jaid called emergency services and told them her ex stabbed Weston. She described the knife to the operator, saying it was a flick knife with a Celtic cross on its handle.
Police looked at Sheriff’s phone and saw videos of him holding a knife matching Jaid’s description, jurors learned. Sheriff was arrested the next day and claimed Weston spied on Jaid.
Sheriff said Weston threatened him with a knife and came at him in the kitchen, swinging a vegetable knife, Sheriff told police. So, he stabbed him in the upper body, then Weston ran off.
Sheriff said the event, including the argument, lasted minutes and everything happened so fast. He did not know what he could have done and then discarded the knife in a river.
He said he acted in self-defense for himself and his girlfriend. Sheriff stated it should not have happened and it escalated quickly from words to a knife. He is sad someone died.
The prosecutor said Sheriff lied to the police. His story did not match Jaid’s account and also differed from the text messages that happened before the stabbing.