A 24-year-old man was stabbed in the heart at a party, but the killer was never found

Clay Lee Benjamin was stabbed to death 24 years ago, but his killer was never brought to justice

It’s been 24 years since a young man was fatally stabbed in the middle of a blues party. Clay Lee Benjamin was just 24 when he was stabbed in the heart at the party in Granby Street, Toxteth, on October 21, 2000.

He was taken to hospital, but his injuries were too severe and he died. The ECHO reported in 2003 that investigators believed his murder was linked to the 2003 shooting of a family of three who were lucky to survive after a masked gunman broke into their Edge Hill home.

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Six-year-old Makada Weaver was shot in the arm by the mysterious attacker, who also shot mother Valerie, 35, and brother Adrian, 19. Investigators believed the shooting and Clay’s death were related, as was Valerie Weaver’s brother Eugene, 34. charged with the 24-year-old’s murder and later acquitted.

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Since then, the Clay Lee Benjamin case has apparently gone under wraps as no further information has been released to the public. Merseyside Police said they needed new witnesses to come forward and finally bring his killer to justice – almost a quarter of a century after his death.

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Kevin Clague, head of Merseyside Police’s Serious Crime Review Unit, said: “As we mark the 24th anniversary of Clay’s murder, we remain committed to bringing the person responsible to justice.

“A murder investigation is never completed. I would like to ask people in the community for their help in the investigation and remind them that it is never too late to come forward with new information, no matter how small.

“In this particular case we need someone who knew the perpetrator and spoke to him before or after the murder to come forward. We know that loyalties can change over time, and we hope that anyone who has new information and reads this can examine their conscience and do the right thing. If you know anything about Clay’s murder or feel you could assist in our investigation, please come forward.”

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Anyone with information about the murder of Clay Lee Benjamin is asked to send a message to @MerPolCC on Twitter, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.