A young man from a ‘decent family’ who was found dying in the street was likely the victim of a ‘senseless’ murder over a drug deal gone wrong.
Frightening CCTV footage showed William Holdback, 21, screaming ‘help’ while running from his attackers on Barrpowell St in Welland, a light industrial area Adelaide’s west, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
South Australia Police now believe he was involved in a drug deal, with the entire incident captured on CCTV.
Footage hours before the stabbing showed Mr Holdback ringing a stranger’s doorbell while carrying a skateboard.
Cameras later captured Mr Holdback as he fled from a dark sedan about 1.21am and ran down the quiet street while screaming ‘help, help’.
William Holdback (pictured) was killed following a suspected rug deal in a light industrial area in west Adelaide on Wednesday
His attackers chased him down on foot and yelled out: ‘Get him, he can’t run that fast.’
Mr Holdback had a glimmer of hope of escaping his killers when one tripped and fell but, just seconds later, he also stumbled to the ground.
Screams could be heard on the recording as one of the attackers told Mr Holdback ‘I’m going to stab you’.
A short time later, the dark sedan reappeared to pick up the murderer.
The driver said: ‘Get in the car. In the other side. He smashed all the windows.’
‘Where did you stab him?’
The security cameras did not capture the attacker’s response.
A group of musicians rehearsing nearby heard Mr Holdback’s screams and rushed to help, but the 21-year-old died at the scene about 1.30am.
His killers have not yet been found.
Frightening CCTV footage showed Mr Holdback screaming for help while being chased by his attackers (pictured, forensic officers at the scene of the murder)
Police are searching for a car (pictured) involved in the attack as it continues to hunt down Mr Holdback’s killers
SA Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray believes the stabbing was a ‘senseless murder over something trivial’ and suggested an altercation between Mr Holdback and his attackers ‘became heated’.
‘We don’t know whether there was a skateboard involved in the altercation or there was something else … but it’s clear that voices became raised and people were angry,’ he said.
Major Crime detectives cordoned off Barrpowell St with evidence markers seen alongside a skateboard, pool of blood and tyre markings.
Supt Bray said the car involved in the incident was last seen travelling west on Musgrave St.
However, officers haven’t been able to identify its make or model.
‘We’re confident that it’s a four-door sedan. It has a sunroof and mag wheels and it’s dark coloured – it could be silver, it could be black, it could be dark blue, we’re not sure,’ Supt Bray said.
He added the location of Mr Holdback’s meeting gave in an area of warehouses and workshops after closing time had ‘all the hallmarks’ of a drug deal or the recovery of money’.
‘Sadly, Will’s made some foolish decisions and has chosen drugs at different times,’ Supt Bray said.
‘He comes from a decent family, he’s not a bad person. He’s simply made a bad decision that a lot of young people make.’
Police appealed for anyone with information, footage or who witnessed the attack to come forward as the search for Mr Holdback’s killers continues.
SA Police Detective Superintendent Des Bray believes the stabbing was a ‘senseless murder over something trivial’ (pictured, emergency services at the crime scene)
‘I’m confident of a result down the track with this job, but it’s going to take a little while,’ Supt Bray said.
‘Nothing is solved by violence.
‘They destroyed the lives of (Will’s) family and ultimately they’ve destroyed their own lives, because we are going to find a person responsible and they will go to jail for a long, long time.’
Anyone with information, including dash-cam or CCTV footage from the area, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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