Overview
- Yonas Girma, 28, and Ellis Heather, 25, appeared at the Central Criminal Court on December 23 and pleaded not guilty to murdering Stephen Morrisson.
- Heather was charged on December 24, 2025, while Girma was charged in July 2025, according to police and court reports.
- Morrisson, 30, suffered a single stab wound after a confrontation in a car park off Epping Road on June 23, 2020, then collapsed at a nearby Shell forecourt and later died in hospital.
- Essex Police say the inquiry reviewed more than 200 hours of CCTV and over 1,000 exhibits, including about 50 phones, nearly 40 computer items and five vehicles.
- Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood leads the case and says trial preparation is underway, with both defendants remaining innocent unless proven guilty.