Kennie Carter: plea to help trace murdered teen’s killer ahead of what would have been his 17th birthday

Detectives leading the hunt to find the killer of Manchester teenager Kennie Carter say they need a ‘vital breakthrough’ to bring justice for his family.

Kennie, 16, was chased by a group of teenagers and attacked on Thirlmere Avenue, Stretford, on the evening of Saturday 22 January as he was walking home alone. He died from a single stab wound.

Police have since made 14 arrests and 10 teenage boys, aged 13 to 18, remain under investigation.

However, ahead of what would have been Kennie’s 17th birthday on Sunday, officers have made a fresh appeal for the ‘vital breakthrough’ they need to bring the killer to justice.

What have police said?

Detective Chief Inspector Alicia Smith, Senior Investigating Officer, said: “We have worked relentlessly on this investigation since it began on that devastating evening six months ago, and our work does not stop in bringing to justice those responsible for Kennie’s death.

“I want to be clear to anyone thinking this will just go away over time: murder investigations do not close, we do not stop pursuing every available line of enquiry - and doing whatever we can - to find the truth, and to put behind bars whoever committed this cowardly attack.

“Kennie died from a single stab wound which suggests that only one of those present was responsible for the fatal blow. We are focusing on bringing that person to justice, and are remaining open minded to the role of others present.

“Too many young people have been affected from this truly traumatic event and they cannot move on or seek the help they need until the truth is out. It is only then can they begin to recover their young lives.

“Kennie’s parents, family, and friends continue to be denied closure and I urge anyone who has information - but has not yet told us what they know - to come forward so we can seek justice and closure for Kennie’s loved ones.”

How to contact police

You can call the GMP major incident hotline in confidence on 0161 856 9908, quoting Operation Sandpiper.

Any footage or images from the night should be submitted to the GMP online portal here.

Or information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111