His Brother Fired the Gunshot That Killed Neo Graham, Instead of Reporting It to Police He Made a Decision That Cost Him His Freedom

Elie Mey, a 25-year-old drug dealer from Erdington, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after helping his brother escape the UK following a deadly drive-by shooting that claimed the life of a rival drug dealer.

The case centred on the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Neo Graham, who was killed in Wolverhampton during a violent dispute linked to the illegal supply of Class A drugs. The attack happened near a primary school as parents were collecting their children, leaving the local community shocked by the level of violence.

Prosecutors said Elie’s brother, Israel Mey, was the gunman. He allegedly leaned out of the front passenger window of a stolen Renault Clio and fired six shots from a Glock handgun towards three men. One of the bullets struck Neo Graham in the head, killing him at the scene before the attackers sped away.

Although the court accepted that Elie was not present during the shooting and had been in Birmingham at the time, the judge found that he became aware shortly afterwards that his brother had carried out the killing. Instead of contacting police, Elie chose to help his brother avoid arrest.

Evidence presented in court showed that Elie played a major role in helping Israel flee the country. He organised travel arrangements, helped collect money for the escape and booked flights online after Israel travelled through Scotland and Northern Ireland before boarding a flight overseas. Israel remains on the run.

The following day, police interrupted an active drug deal involving Elie and several other men. Officers stopped a Nissan Juke in Birmingham and discovered the loaded Glock handgun that had been used in the fatal shooting. They also recovered large amounts of heroin and crack cocaine packaged for sale, along with £7,430 in cash.

Investigators found 54 wraps of crack cocaine weighing 4.69 grams and 80 wraps of heroin weighing 5.6 grams inside the vehicle. The judge ruled that everyone inside the car knew the loaded firearm was present and that it was being carried to protect their drug-dealing activities.

Elie admitted several offences, including assisting an offender, possessing a prohibited firearm, possessing ammunition, possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply, and possessing criminal property. He was also convicted after trial of another count of assisting an offender, although he was cleared of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Passing sentence at Wolverhampton Crown Court on July 17, Judge Michael Chambers KC said there was no evidence that Elie had taken part in the actual shooting. However, he said Elie knowingly did everything he could to help those responsible escape justice.

The judge described the killing as part of a violent conflict between rival drug gangs. He stressed that the shooting took place close to a primary school while children were being collected, making the crime even more serious because innocent members of the public were put at risk.

According to the court, after the shooting the gun used in the attack was placed inside a yellow JD Sports bag before being handed to Elie. The stolen Renault Clio used in the attack was later set on fire to destroy evidence.

Judge Chambers said he was sure Elie knew the bag contained the murder weapon. He also found that Elie helped organise his brother’s journey through Scotland to Northern Ireland before Israel eventually flew abroad.

The court heard that Elie later wrote an articulate letter expressing remorse for his actions. His lawyer told the court he had reflected on his crimes and accepted responsibility.

The defence explained that Elie’s family moved to the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo when he was a young child to escape war. His lawyer said the death of his older brother had deeply affected him, and that he had once been a promising young man.

The court also heard that Elie suffered a serious injury during his first year at university, forcing him to leave his studies after spending a long period in hospital. After struggling financially, especially during the Covid pandemic, he became involved in drug dealing and found it difficult to leave that lifestyle.

His lawyer said his parents did not support the criminal path taken by either of their sons. Elie now hopes that after serving his sentence he will rebuild his life and pursue a career in auditing and accounting.

The judge also considered Elie’s previous criminal record. He had received a police caution for battery in 2016 and was jailed for 30 months in 2021 for possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Several other men connected to the case have also received lengthy prison sentences. Koketso Ximba was jailed for 20 years after being convicted of manslaughter. Fabio Bandarrinha received 10 years in prison, Aaron Osei was jailed for seven years, and Derrick Da Silva Ferreira was sentenced to four years for offences linked to drug dealing, firearms and criminal property.

Police say Israel Mey, who is accused of carrying out the fatal shooting, remains wanted after fleeing the UK. The investigation into his whereabouts continues.