Man found guilty of murdering father of three in Smethwick
Tyrelle Harris has been found guilty of murdering Karl Gallagher
A man has been found guilty of murdering father of three, Karl Gallagher, in a chance meeting in Smethwick last year, after detectives found him hiding in an attic.
A jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court took just over eight hours to find Tyrelle Harris guilty of murder after he pleaded self-defence.
Karl was waiting with friends after ordering a pizza outside West Cross shopping centre on Sunday 26 April, when by chance he met his killer.
Harris, who was also with friends, was hanging around a Hyundai when Karl approached the group.
CCTV shows a short conversation took place, before Harris took a few steps closer to him, pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed Karl in the chest.
Callously, Harris and three people ran from the scene towards Oldbury Road, leaving Karl for dead.
Paramedics attempted life-saving surgery on the 31-year-old, but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene - less than an hour after meeting Harris.
A murder investigation was immediately launched and a manhunt was underway to trace the 20-year-old after video footage circulated on social media.
Enquiries quickly led detectives to a property in Netherton after tracing the owner of the Hyundai, which was left at the scene.
A search of the property found Harris hiding in an attic under clothing and he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
A knife was later recovered from a drain in Orchid Close, Smethwick.
Forensic tests found this was the same knife used to kill Karl and tossed away as Harris fled.
At Wolverhampton Crown Court today (12 March), Harris, of Helvellyn Way, West Bromwich, was found guilty of murder and will be sentenced on 30 April.
The family of Karl have released a statement saying:
"Thankfully today Karl’s murderer has been taken off the streets, no other family will get to go through the pain that we have gone through, and no other mother will ever have to say goodbye to her son at the hands of Tyrelle Harris.
"We are truly thankful that today there has been some justice for Karl, but this will never free us from the life sentence that we now have to learn to live with."
DI Adam Jobson, from West Midlands Police Homicide team said:
“This truly is a tragic case and really highlights the devastating effects of knife crime.
“Karl met his killer by chance, only moments before a knife was used on him.
“He died from a single stab wound to the chest.
“We will never know what led Harris to killing Karl that day, but we do know that if Harris hadn’t chosen to carry a knife, three children would have their dad and Harris wouldn’t be facing a life sentence in prison."
Four other men were arrested on suspicion of murder, and a further four men were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
They were all released without charge.
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