Two men sentenced to life in jail for murder of Cody Fisher

The semi-professional footballer, aged 23, had been on a night out with friends when he was attacked on Boxing Day 2022 following an ‘insignificant’ encounter with one of the killers two nights earlier.

Today (Monday April 8) Remy Gordon was given a life sentence, and ordered to serve at least 26 years behind bars.

Kami Carpenter was also given a life sentence, and told he would spend at least 25 years in prison.

L-r - Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter (Image: West Midlands Police)

Cody had accidentally bumped into Gordon at Popworld in Solihull and the pair exchanged a few words.

But Gordon refused to forget the encounter, and set about trying to identify Cody from social media images he found of the popular footballer - a former Birmingham City academy member who also played for Stratford Town and Bromsgrove Sporting, Stourbridge FC and the Kidderminster Harriers Academy.

He learned Cody’s name, and that he was likely to be at Crane nightclub on Adderley Street in Digbeth on Boxing Day.

Crane nightclub in Digbeth, Birmingham, after Cody's Fisher's tragic death (Image: PA)

Inside the club, just before midnight on Boxing Day, Cody was surrounded before being headbutted, punched and kicked. He was also stabbed in the chest and died from the wound at the scene, with the knife still embedded.

After a major police investigation and trial, Gordon, aged 23, of Cofton Park Drive, Rednal, and Carpenter, aged 22, of Owens Croft, Kings Norton, were convicted of murder. Gordon was also found guilty of affray. 

The pair were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court today.

READ MORE: Cody Fisher murder: mum speaks out as killers sentenced

Meanwhile, Reegan Anderson, aged 19, of Brookvale Park Road, Erdington, was given a sentence of 18 months after being cleared of murder, but found guilty of affray.

Reegan Anderson (Image: West Midlands Police)

Judge Paul Farrer KC said: "The attack upon Mr Fisher lasted no more than 37 seconds. It involved punches and kicks, including a blow to the face of sufficient force to fracture the back of Mr Fisher's jaw, on both sides.

"At some stage, Mr Fisher was also stabbed to his right thigh to a depth of 5cm.

"In short, this was a sustained attack on a man who was significantly outnumbered and stood little or no chance of defending himself."

In a victim impact statement read out today, Cody’s heartbroken mother Tracey said: “It is not only me who is suffering. but Cody’s father, Cody’s brother and all the rest of Cody’s loving family who miss him dearly.

Cody Fisher with his mum Tracey (Image: West Midlands Police)

“We all started our life sentences just a little over 12 months ago, when the saddest, most heart-breaking day in all of our lives happened.

“Since this horrendous day, I feel that my own life has ended. 

“It is as though I too was stabbed straight through the heart. I have seen myself go from the happiest outgoing person, to fighting to get through each and every horrendous, never-ending day, in the abhorrent knowledge that my youngest son, my best friend, is never coming home to sleep in his bedroom, the room that I still cannot enter even to this day.”

Cody Fisher (Image: West Midlands Police)

Cody’s girlfriend, Jessica Chatwin, said: “I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with Cody. We had plans ready for the next year, places we were meant to go, and that has now been taken away from us for something so trivial, I believe to be nothing but jealously and pride.”

Detective Inspector Michelle Thurgood at West Midlands Police said: “The absolute tragedy of Cody's death is just how avoidable it was. 

“For a young man’s life to be snatched away, because he’d accidentally bumped into Remy Gordon two days earlier, is almost incomprehensible. 

Cody Fisher with his dad Christian (Image: West Midlands Police)

“I’d like to pay tribute to Tracey and her family for their strength in attending court today, and with the dignity with which they have carried themselves since the awful events of Boxing Day, 2022. 

“We will continue to work to tackle knife crime in the West Midlands, but police can’t do it alone."

She urged parents, guardians and teachers to talk to young people about the dangers of knives and to share Cody's story to serve as a warning to others and she added: “We can all play a part in ensuring lives are saved in the future.”