Cutty Sark murder: Man guilty of stabbing Reece Williams to death

Robbie Munoz attacked Reece Williams with a 30cm hunting knife after Mr Williams had assaulted him. 

Munoz, who refers to himself as Taser or Taze, claimed he had acted in self-defense but after a four-week trial, a jury found him guilty of murder on Tuesday, April 18.

Mr Williams, 29, was a dad to two children and was described as a family man.

In the early hours of July 30, 2021, Mr Williams left The Gate Clock pub but on his way home he stopped to talk with a group of people who were sitting on benches by the river. 

Mr Williams knew most of the group but he did not know Munoz, who was there with a girl. 

Prosecutor Lisa Wilding told the jury: “Munoz and the girl he was with were not particularly welcome. Some present at the bench found them irritating. 

“Mr Williams was known to have a temper, especially when he was drinking. He spoke to Munoz and the way the defendant was behaving wound him up.”   

Reece Williams was described as a family man who loved his children (Image: Metropolitan Police)

After becoming annoyed by Munoz’s behaviour he punched and kicked the 21-year-old, who didn’t fight back. 

“As quickly as it started, it ended and Mr Williams walked away. Matters could have and should have ended there,” Ms Wilding said. 

“However rather than leaving matters there or indeed leaving altogether, Mr Munoz went to his backpack and he took out a large hunting knife and removed it from its sheath."   

Munoz chased Mr Williams while repeatedly swinging the blade, inflicting multiple wounds including a slash to his thigh which would prove fatal. 

Two of Mr Williams’ friends managed to take the blade off Munoz before stabbing him in the backside with the same weapon, Ms Wilding said.   

Munoz then ran off and was later found by police, before being taken to hospital and arrested. Mr Williams collapsed in a nearby playground and died in hospital just hours later. 

Munoz was 20 when he committed the murder (Image: Metropolitan Police)

Ms Wilding told the jury that Munoz was motivated by anger, revenge and embarrassment, not by self defence. 

The jury heard that hours before attacking Mr Williams, Munoz had been involved in a similar confrontation in Worthing after a car nearly knocked him off his e-scooter. 

On that occasion he also pulled the large hunting knife out of his bag and used it to threaten the driver, the court heard. 

The jury’s murder verdict was unanimous. Munoz, of Belmont Road in Wallington, will be sentenced in June.