£20,000 reward in hunt for drive-by killers

Police offered a £20,000 reward for information today ahead of the first anniversary of the drive-by shooting of a 20-year-old man.

Ricardo Cox was shot twice by a gunman in a car as he walked along Mitcham Road in Croydon, south London, with his brother Oniel on the evening of November 26 last year.

Scotland Yard said a stolen black Honda Civic, registration DG56 XTR, pulled up alongside them and a number of shots were fired.

The gunman was in the front passenger seat and is described as a light-skinned black man, aged 18 to 20, with short Afro-style hair and clean-shaven. He had a deep voice and was wearing a thin black jacket.

The two other men in the car are described as black.

Police said Mr Cox, who was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at hospital, had been shot twice in the upper body with what is believed to be a distinctive .22 calibre firearm, possibly a revolver.

The car was found in Peall Road, Croydon, on December 1, having been abandoned by at least two men.

Police said they were renewing their appeal for witnesses with a £20,000 reward for anyone providing information which leads to a conviction.

Mr Cox's aunt, Juliette Mitchell, said: "Someone out there must have known something. Family and friends of those responsible for the murder, put yourselves in our position, bring those perpetrators to justice.

"Our lives have been destroyed by those responsible for Ricardo's murder.

"Help the police to stop them before they destroy other people's lives. There is a £20,000 reward for anyone with information leading to their conviction."

Detective Chief Inspector Damian Allain, of the Met's homicide and serious crime command, said: "We are one year on from the murder of Ricardo Cox and I am still in no doubt that there are people within the community who have information that could help our investigation.

"It is likely that the people involved in this incident may have boasted of their crime to friends or associates and I would ask that these people contact us.

"Ricardo's family deserve to know what happened that night and have a right to see his killers brought to justice."

* There have been several arrests in connection with the inquiry, with three men re-bailed by police to return on dates in the new year.