James Brindley: Man and teen arrested over Aldridge murder
A teenager and a man have been arrested on suspicion of murdering James Brindley, who was stabbed to death in Aldridge.
The man, aged 20, and a 17-year-old youth were detained on Wednesday evening.
West Midlands Police said both suspects are from the Aldridge area.
The arrests came just 36 hours after Mr Brindley's parents made an emotional appeal to the killers to come forward as CCTV footage of two suspects was released.
Mr Brindley, aged 26, died in his parents' arms on Aldridge High Street after he was stabbed through the heart as he walked home at around midnight on June 23.
He is believed to have been knifed in a CCTV blind spot on Little Aston Road, near The Croft park in the centre of the village.
Despite the arrests, police are still appealing for witnesses to come forward and the £10,000 reward put forward by Crimestoppers for information leading to the conviction of those responsible remains on offer.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Mallett, from West Midlands Police's homicide team, said: “Although we have made two arrests we are still asking people to come forward with any information they have, no matter how insignificant it may seem.”
On Tuesday Mark Brindley described his son as a "very happy, smiley, boy".
"When he smiled everybody smiled with him," he added, while mother Beverley said: "He had aspirations to open a health food store, he was very conscious of being in good health and wanted to help people who trained or went to the gym.
"On the night he went out he said I am just popping out and we said that we would probably be in bed by the time he got back and we told him to take care."
Mr Brindley also left behind a devastated sister, Charlotte, and girlfriend, who he was talking to on the phone before he was stabbed.
Other family members, friends and neighbours paid tribute to the former Aldridge High School student by leaving flowers in the town in the wake of the attack, while a fundraising campaign for his family raised more than £4,000 in less than 12 hours.
The JustGiving campaign, set up by childhood friend Tom Stopford, has now received more than 690 donations and raised upwards of £15,000 to help with funeral costs.
Anyone with information is urged to contact DCI Mallett’s team on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
