A racist and Islamophobe from Norwich who stabbed his Muslim neighbour after an argument has been found guilty of murder.
Ex soldier Elvis Vickers, 48, had denied murdering 48-year old Abdul Chadli in November 2024. But yesterday a jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict following a trial at Norwich Crown Court.
On the evening of November 1 2024 the two men – who lived in adjacent flats – had been drinking together at Vickers’ home when they started to argue about current affairs.
Just after 10pm Vickers sent a text message to a friend which read: “just to let you know, I just killed Abs.” Seven minutes later Vickers called 999 and said: “I’ve got a dead body in my flat, mate” before telling the call handler “Yeah, I killed him.”
Officers arrived to find Abdul Chadli, who was originally from Hertfordshire, with a single knife wound to the chest. He died at the scene.
Vickers claimed he had attacked Chadli in self-defence and hadn’t meant to kill him when he picked up the knife. But the court heard Vickers was consumed with anger and hatred” and had stabbed his neighbour with “force and intent.”
On the stand, Vickers told the jury his neighbour’s skin colour and religion was not an issue for him.
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But the jury heard that he had said “I’m not letting these terrorists run my street” ahead of the attack, and referenced black people in a derogatory manner.
As paramedics tried to save Mr Chadli’s life, Vickers said society was “bowing down to Muslims,” and the victim was a “wrong ‘un” who had “pushed his luck.”
In a text message to his brother, Vickers also referred to a “Muslim c**t.”
The family of Abdulkadar Chadli described him as a “kind, caring and gentle guy.”
His family said: “It is so very very sad that such a kind, caring and gentle guy was taken so violently from his friends and family.
“I wish we could tell him how much we miss him and love him and how every day we wish we had appreciated the short time we got to spend with him.”
The family described how he spent long spells away from home, working at sea.
“Now we just must try to imagine that this trip will be a little bit longer, but we will see him again one day.”
Detective Inspector Sam Pontin said: “Our thoughts remain firmly with Abdul’s family and friends and hope today’s conviction brings them some measure of justice.
“This was a senseless act of violence which should never have happened. We remain committed to tackling violent crime and ensuring those who commit such offences are held accountable.”
Elvis Vickers will be sentenced in the new year (date yet to be fixed).
