Daniel Levy, 48, has pleaded guilty to the murder of his friend Abdul Kaleem Shaik, 41, at his flat in Vauxhall, south London, on New Year’s Eve. Levy appeared at the Old Bailey, where it was revealed that he stabbed Shaik in the neck, resulting in fatal injuries.

Levy, who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, went to Bishopsgate police station shortly after 8 p.m. on January 1, the day following the killing, and confessed to the murder, telling officers, “It’s happened again.” This statement was understood to refer to a previous conviction in 2000, when Levy killed his grandmother, Nurzida Galimozanova, stabbing her and setting her on fire.

Authorities discovered Shaik’s body at the Vauxhall flat, where he was found on a makeshift bed with stab wounds to the chest, neck, and face. A bloody knife was also recovered from the scene. CCTV footage confirmed that only Levy and Shaik were present at the flat on the evening of December 31.

During police interviews, Levy stated that he had known Shaik for several years and had allowed him to stay at his residence. He described Shaik as having become severely depressed and struggling to cope with his mental health. Levy said he believed he needed to help Shaik by ending his life to secure his passage to heaven.

Levy had previously accepted responsibility for this second killing but contested that it was murder, citing his mental health condition at the time. However, he changed his plea to guilty just before the scheduled jury trial.

The judge, Lynn Tayton, remanded Levy into custody ahead of his sentencing hearing, which is set to take place next Wednesday. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the intersection of mental illness and criminal justice, particularly in relation to longstanding care and support for vulnerable individuals.