Rapper accused of ‘snakes in the forest’ murder said he did not assault anyone

A rap artist accused of murdering a man who tried to photobomb his video shoot denied he was covering for anyone else when interviewed by police, a court heard.

Stephen Morrisson, 30, was shirtless, talking loudly and banging his head against a tree while cameras rolled on performers with live reptiles in Epping Forest in Essex.

Yonas Girma, 29, an Instagram wildlife influencer known as ‘Ty From The Wyld’, allegedly punched Mr Morrisson before Ellis Heather, 26, stabbed him in the chest, the Old Bailey has heard.

Mr Morrisson, a content creator and the brother of rapper Morrisson, had arrived in a stolen black Vauxhall Corsa at the Wake Valley pond car park, where he tried to get involved in the music video and asked the group if they knew who he was

After being told off for speaking to one of the group’s girlfriends he drove his car towards the group of men and they attacked him, it is claimed.

Rappers Girma, known as ‘Yosh’ or ‘Ty’ and Heather, known as ‘Rackz’ both deny murder on 23 June 2020.

Girma was first arrested on 2 July 2020 and in interview told police he had been at the music video shoot but he had not assaulted Mr Morrisson or witnessed any assault.

Transcripts of the interviews were read to the jury today.

Girma denied he was covering for someone else, telling police: ‘I wasn’t there when what happens with him, I don’t know what happened to him.’

Asked if he saw a fight did, he said: ‘I didn’t see nothing like that, there was no body on the floor, I didn’t see no one die or get stabbed or nothing.’

‘Is there anyone else you can think of that is involved or that can help us?’ the police asked.

‘No,’ Girma replied.

Girma was told no further action would be taken against him on 7 January 2024 but was rearrested in July 2025 after Monique Gilligan gave a statement to police implicating Heather and Girma.

When interviewed again he answered no comment to police questions but his solicitor read a prepared statement on his behalf that said: ‘I completely deny any involvement in this allegation.

‘I did not assault Stephen Morrisson, I assert unequivocally that I not involved in any physical altercation with the deceased or anyone else who was present at the video shoot that day.

‘I am entirely innocent and not connected in any way to the tragic events which unfolded.

‘I had no foreknowledge of any confrontation and did not participate in any such act.’

He said the statement of Ms Gilligan was inaccurate and said he denied her version of events.

The trial continues.