UK’s ‘youngest hitman’ who shot dead mum, 26, for £200 nearly got off because ‘cops couldn’t believe he was killer’
THE UK’s ‘youngest hitman’ who brutally shot dead a mum for £200 nearly got away with the heinous crime – because cops couldn’t believe he was a killer.
Santre Sanchez Gayle was just 15-years-old when he murdered Gulistan Subasi, 26, after callously pulling the trigger of a sawn-off shotgun at point blank range.
The young mum tragically died on the eve of her son’s ninth birthday in March 2010 and had been making plans to marry her new partner in Turkey later that year.
Gayle, who had never killed before, wore a full body forensic suit to cover his tracks and his calm demeanour led police to believe they were dealing with a professional hitman.
Criminologist David Wilson, who worked on the case, told The Sun Online: “The worst example of a gang I can think of is the Kensal Green Boys.
“There was a young man Called Santre Sanchez Gayle.
“Santre Sanchez Gayle was given a task of taking out a poor woman in another part of London.
“He was 15 years old. He wears a forensic suit, takes a taxi and go knocks on Gulistan Subasi mum’s door.
“Gulistan opens the door and he shoots her point blank range and kills her.”
Police interviews with the victim’s grief stricken mother Dondu revealed the heartbreaking final moments in Gulistan’s life.
She believed the knock at the door may have been someone bringing over her son, for whom she’d bought birthday presents and was excited to see.
“It was so clinically done that the police presumed it was a professional hit whereas in fact, this was the very first he’d ever taken part in and he got paid for that ahead – two payments and with £200 he bought a Gucci hat,” continued David.
The criminologist explained the desire Gayle had to “prove his worth” to the Kensal Green Boys.
“He wants to belong. He’s got no positive role models because all his his brothers, half brothers and extended family were already in prison serving sentences for murder,” he added.
“He wants to prove himself in the gang. He’s forensically aware to wear the forensic suit.
“The police think my god this must be somebody who is a professional hitman. In fact, it was the first time he committed the crime.
“And, he only got caught because he was 15 and he couldn’t stop bragging about it and eventually that information got back to the police.
“It was such an interesting one because I myself couldn’t believe that this was a young man, a 15 year old who committed this crime. And it’s the first time he ever had used lethal violence.”
After Gulistan was shot, she fell and died in the arms of her devastated mother.
The 26-year-old, who lived in Turkey, had been visiting London at the time to see her nine-year-old son who was living with her ex-husband’s family.
As the murder probe unfolded, detectives discovered the horror had been captured on CCTV.
Detectible Chief Inspector, Jackie Sebire, was stunned their killer was a schoolboy after reviewing the footage.
“When we saw the CCTV we all thought it was a professional hitman,” she told the BBC.
“There was no hesitation and he shows no nerves. It did not look like a 15-year-old boy.”
His relaxed attitude followed him into a taxi after he fled the tragic scene where a cabbie, who later testified in court, revealed Gayle showed no emotion.
The killer seemingly left no trace behind him, and Detective Inspector Chalmers admitted the force had reached a “dead end” in the investigation.
It wasn’t until the 15-year-old schoolboy couldn’t help but brag about the vile crime to his mates that the case heated up.
Another gang member and drug dealer, 21-year-old Izak Billy, known as Iceman, threatened to kill a teen in north west London.
Ryan Hatunga became a target and later told police how Billy spoke about the murder “of a Turkish woman” in his threats.
The young teen revealed how the killer had carried out the hit for just £200.
Det Insp Chalmers added: “I think he thought he was going to get more money for it.
“My gut feeling is that the money was an element, but there must have been a lot of peer pressure, kudos, [and] an attempt to impress older members of the gang.”
He said of the killer: “He is not a very bright lad. He did not have good schooling or much parental control.
“He was easily manipulated. In many ways he himself is a victim.”
Ryan also told how Billy spoke of a security grille over the victim’s door – a detail which had never been released to the public.
Billy is now understood to have been paid £2,000 for his part in the murder.
Police suspect he arranged for Gayle to be shown the flat and may have sourced the shot gun.
Gayle was jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 20 years.
Billy, 22, of Willesden, was given life and must serve 22 years.
It was revealed Gayle’s half-brother Lloywen Carty is currently serving a minimum of 30 years for the murder of 27-year-old Lee Subaran at the Notting Hill Carnival.
And, Carty’s half-brother Donnel Carty, was handed a life sentence for the murder of Tom ap Rhys Pryce, in Kensal Green.