Men deny 2018 'gun for hire' murder of 17-year-old girl who was shot dead in Tottenham

Sami Quadri

20 September 2024 at 10:02 am·1-min read

Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, who was shot dead from a vehicle in Tottenham, north London (PA Media)

Two men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake in a Tottenham drive-by shooting over six years ago.

Marcus La-Croix, 36, from Hackney, and Michael Clarke, 34, from Luton, appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link.

They denied murdering Tanesha, who was shot from a Vauxhall people carrier on Chalgrove Road on April 2, 2018.

The pair also pleaded not guilty to possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. A four-week trial is set for March 31.

In a grim twist, the Met Police revealed in 2020 that the "gun for hire" used to kill Tanesha was also used in another fatal shooting. Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, was killed in Walthamstow in March 2018 in a case of mistaken identity.

Police believe the weapon was in circulation for at least a year but stress the shootings are not otherwise linked.

La-Croix and Clarke were charged with Tanesha's murder in July.

Tanesha was killed at about 9.35pm on April 2 2018 after a bullet struck her in the chest.

She died at the scene and the car was found burnt out in Barnet five days later.

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