Ellis Heather, 25, once of Farm Close, Taplow, was charged with the crime on December 24, following the death of 30-year-old Stephen Morrisson.
Yonas Girma, 28, of Hounslow Road, Hanworth, was also charged with one count of murder back in July of this year.
Just before 8 pm on Tuesday, June 23, 2020, Mr Morrison suffered a ‘single stab wound after a confrontation’ in a car park along the Epping Road in Epping, according to Essex Police.
He succumbed to his injuries in hospital a short time later, having driven away from the scene towards a nearby Shell garage.
He was able to get out of his car but then collapsed on the forecourt, where members of the public tried to help him and alerted the emergency services.
Essex Police said: “Over the course of a complex and far-reaching investigation, more than 200 hours of CCTV footage were examined, and the investigative team has seized and reviewed more than 1,000 exhibits, 50 phones, almost 40 computer items and five vehicles.”
Both Girma and Heather appeared at the Central Criminal Court on December 23 and denied the offence.
A provisional trial date has been set for four weeks, from May 18, 2026.
Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, leads the investigation into Stephen’s murder.
He said: “This investigation has progressed over the last five years, through a number of challenges, and we have always remained focused on securing justice for Stephen’s family and friends.
“Whilst our meticulous trial preparation work is now underway, we always have the loss Stephen’s family feel at the forefront of our minds.”