Mikey bid farewell to his mother over the phone, expressing his love before heading to a house party in Bath, Somerset, on a typical summer evening in June. His mother, Hayley, had left money for him as she had a work event in Birmingham. Later that night, upon turning her phone back on, Hayley received a series of missed calls, discovering a tragic turn of events.
She learned that Mikey had been involved in a fatal stabbing at the house party. Despite the heartbreaking news, she initially refused to accept that her son had passed away. The police confirmed the devastating reality to her upon arriving at the scene in Bath.
The incident occurred on June 10, 2023, when Avon and Somerset Police responded to reports of a stabbing at the party. Mikey Roynon, a 16-year-old from Bristol, was fatally stabbed in the neck during a fight involving teenagers and a zombie knife.
Mikey, a talented young boy with a passion for music, had aspirations in the music industry. Although he dabbled in drill music, he was not associated with any gangs or criminal activities. Despite his awareness of the escalating knife crime in Bristol, he tragically became a victim himself.
Following investigations and testimonies, Shane Cunningham and two friends were arrested by the police but denied involvement. Allegations surfaced suggesting that Mikey may have been carrying a knife during the altercation, leading to self-defense actions by the other boys. However, the police maintained that Mikey was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Shane was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, while the other two boys faced initial manslaughter charges that were later overturned. Hayley expressed frustration at the justice system, pondering the unfairness of the situation and the loss of her son’s future.
The tragic story of the house party incident is now available for streaming on Crime+Investigation from Wednesday, January 14.