Slammed Door Row Ends In Housemate's Murder

Murderer: Paul Marshall

A man who murdered his housemate after a slammed door at the property they shared started a fatal row has been caged for life.

Paul Floyd Marshall, 51, (pic.top) of Elmhurst Road, Enfield Wash plunged a knife into the neck of 47 year-old Orville Brown (pic.bottom) during the early hours argument.

He was convicted at the Old Bailey and ordered to serve a minimum of twenty-four years.

The court heard the disturbance began at around 2am on July 12, last year over the noise made by the slammed door and during a tussle Marshall stabbed his housemate.

A neighbour witnessed Marshall leaving the property heading in the direction of Albany Leisure Centre carrying a large bag.



Police received a number of calls, one from another housemate who had returned home to find Orville lying in a pool of blood in the hallway.

Marshall himself called, admitting he was involved in the incident.

Housemate: Orville Brown

Officers and the London Ambulance Service arrived at the property at around 2.15am and found Orville lying face down in the hallway in a large pool of blood.

He was treated at the scene, but was pronounced dead at 2.55am.

A post mortem examination at Haringey Mortuary that same day gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the neck and hypovolemic shock.



Marshall was arrested shortly after the incident in connection with the murder.



During his arrest Marshall told police the knife he had used could be found in the front garden at his address.

A search of the front garden resulted in officers locating the murder weapon. 



Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: Marshall callously stabbed Orville Brown over what appears to be a trivial argument about a slammed door.

“A man has needlessly lost his life and Marshall will now spend a significant amount of time in prison.

“I hope that today’s conviction will bring a small amount of solace to Orville's family.”