Three men jailed for murder following a meticulous Met investigation

They have been sentenced to a combined total of 79 years following the murder of a teenager, despite the suspects denying they ever met him.

By overlaying GPS, mobile phone and extensive CCTV evidence, Met detectives were able place the trio at the scene and ultimately prove their involvement in the fatal stabbing of Tyler Donnelly, who was believed to have gone to Hanworth Park, Feltham on 24 January 2024 for drug‑related reasons.

Keith Preddie, 34 (11.06.1991) of Feltham, Daniel Matos, 23 (27.04.2002) of Hounslow and Joshua Cowley, 29 (08.11.1996) of Hounslow appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, 27 February, where following a five-week trial, they were all found guilty of murder.

Today (Thursday, 7 May), they were all sentenced to life in prison at the same court.

The sentencing comes as the Met reaffirms its commitment to tackling knife crime and serious violence, with officers taking thousands of weapons off London’s streets in the last year alone.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who led the Met’s homicide investigation said: “Today’s sentence reflects the brutal and targeted attack carried out by three individuals, which left Tyler fatally injured in a public park. It was a shocking act of violence, carried out with a complete disregard for its devastating consequences.

“My thoughts, and those of my team, remain firmly with Tyler’s family, whose strength and dignity throughout this case has been remarkable.

“This case underlines the destructive link between drugs and serious violence, and why we remain committed to tackling drug supply to protect our communities.”

In their victim impact statement, Tyler’s family said: “Tyler was deeply loved, he was at the center of our family and his loss has changed our lives forever. Grief has consumed our family. Our house is filled with silence, pain, and absence. Nothing feels the same, and nothing ever will.

“Tyler was not just a name on a piece of paper or a statistic in a case. Living without him has left a silence that nothing can fill. We are learning to live with a sadness that sits with us constantly. I wouldn’t wish this feeling on any family it’s absolutely gut wrenching, not one of us will ever live a complete life anymore because his cheeky chappy smile will not be there with us.

“Tyler had a warmth and kindness that drew people to him. He was not perfect, none of us are. He was nineteen. Sometimes he made silly choices like many young people do, but he deserved the chance to grow. He deserved the chance to mature and he deserved the chance to become the man he was capable of being. He made us laugh, he supported us, and he brought light into our home. The thought of all the moments he will never have — the milestones he will never reach — is something we struggle with every single day.”

The investigation

An investigation was launched on Thursday, 25 January 2024, after officers were called to Hanworth Park, Feltham at 07:40hrs following reports a man being found unresponsive.

Tyler was located with multiple injuries, including a stab wound to the neck. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

A murder investigation was launched with detectives reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV from the area. Tyler could be seen entering the park shortly after 21:00hrs on Wednesday, 24 January. Preddie, Matos and Cowley were then captured cycling into the park and exiting a short while afterwards.

Data collected from Matos’ court-imposed electronic tag also confirmed him to be in the location that Tyler’s body was found.

All three were arrested on Sunday, 28 January, with officers locating a hoodie in Matos’ room which was stained with the Tyley’s blood. During interview, all three denied ever meeting Tyler. They were charged on Tuesday, 30 January with murder and remanded into custody.

Background

A trial began at the Old Bailey on Monday, 6 January 2025 which resulted in a hung jury after 22 hours of deliberation. A retrial began on Monday, 19 January 2026, concluding on Friday, 27 February with all defendants found guilty of murder.

The individual sentences handed out to the defendants are the following:

• Keith Preddie: life imprisonment with a minimum term of 27 years

• Daniel Matos: life imprisonment with a minimum term of 27.5 years

• Joshua Cowley: life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years