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An extensive six-year investigation has culminated in a murder conviction at the Central Criminal Court, exposing the volatile intersection of online notoriety and real-world violence.
A jury at the Old Bailey found 26-year-old drill rapper Ellis Heather, known artistically as "Rackz," guilty of the murder of 30-year-old social media content creator Stephen Morrisson. A co-defendant, Yonas Girma, 29, was acquitted of wrongdoing.
The fatal confrontation occurred on 23 June 2020 in a car park off Epping New Road, near the Wake Arms roundabout. Heather had travelled from London to Essex as part of a rap collective to film a music video featuring high-end production elements, including a stab vest and exotic reptiles like live snakes and a Komodo dragon.
What was the reason behind the murder? Court proceedings revealed that the tragedy was sparked by an erratic, unexpected disruption.
Morrisson, a YouTube and Snapchat figure who frequently appeared in the videos of his brother—a successful UK singles chart rapper—stumbled upon the closed set in a Vauxhall Corsa. Witnesses testified that Morrisson appeared heavily intoxicated, exhibiting unusual behavior that included shouting, circling a tree, and banging his head against it.
The friction escalated rapidly when Morrisson drove his vehicle directly toward the production crew. Though he braked sharply before striking anyone, the maneuver triggered immediate confusion and anger among the group.
In the ensuing altercation, Heather lunged forward, delivering a single, fatal stab wound to Morrisson’s chest. Despite catastrophic bleeding, Morrisson managed to drive away from the immediate scene to seek help before collapsing. He later died in a hospital.
A deeper layer of the investigation, unveiled in a report by the Daily Dazzling Dawn, points to the chilling behavior of the perpetrator following the assault. Rather than expressing remorse, Heather allegedly fled the scene, disposed of the weapon in a rural area, and later partied with associates.
In a stark display of indifference, the group reportedly mocked the victim by listening to music tracks produced by Morrisson's own brother. Heather later bragged about the stabbing in his subsequent drill music lyrics, rapping that the victim "got wet and he's dead," a slang term for a stabbing. He also confided in a companion that the incident marked his "first M"—underworld parlance for murder.
The conviction follows a highly complex, far-reaching operation by Essex Police. Detectives meticulously parsed through more than 200 hours of CCTV footage, analyzed 50 mobile phones, reviewed dozens of computer hard drives, and seized 1,000 physical exhibits to build an airtight case.
Though Heather was initially questioned in 2020, he remained under investigation for years until a breakthrough witness came forward, leading to his re-arrest and formal charging in July 2025. Jurors were insulated from potentially prejudicial material during the trial, including Heather’s alleged affiliation with the West London gang CGM.
With the jury's definitive verdict delivered, the legal process moves toward its final phase. Heather has been remanded in custody and will return to the Old Bailey next month. He is scheduled to be formally sentenced by a trial judge on 17 July, where he faces a mandatory life term.
Reflecting on the grueling path to accountability, the victim’s family told journalists: "Our family finally has some peace; Steve got the justice he deserved. This doesn’t take away the pain we feel of not having him with us."
Senior investigating officers also stated to journalists: "This verdict finally delivers justice for Stephen and his family, six years after his life was so tragically taken. They have shown immense strength and patience as this case has progressed."
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