Welland, Adelaide: Chilling moment young man William Holdback screams for help as he is chased down and killed in drug deal gone wrong

A young man from a ‘decent family’ found dying on the street was likely the victim of a ‘senseless’ murder over a drug deal gone wrong.

Terrifying CCTV footage showed William Holdback, 21, shouting “help” as he fled his attackers on Barrpowell St in Welland, a light industrial area in Adelaide’s west, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

South Australian police now believe he was involved in a drug deal and the entire incident was captured on CCTV.

Footage hours before the stabbing showed Holdback ringing a stranger’s doorbell while carrying a skateboard.

Cameras later captured Mr Holdback fleeing from a dark sedan at around 1.21am and running down the quiet street shouting ‘help, help’.

His attackers chased him on foot, shouting, “Get him, he can’t run that fast.”

Mr Holdback had a glimmer of hope of escaping his killers when one of them tripped and fell, but seconds later he too fell over.

Screams were heard over 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 killer.

The driver said, ‘Get in the car. In the other side. He broke all the windows.’

“Where did you stab him?”

The security cameras did not capture the attacker’s reaction.

A group of local musicians had heard Mr Holdback’s screams and rushed to help, but the 21-year-old died at the scene at around 1.30am.

His killers have not yet been found.

Terrifying CCTV footage shows Mr Holdback screaming for help as he was chased by his attackers (Picture: Forensic officers at the murder scene)

Police are searching for a car (pictured) involved in the attack as they continue the hunt for Mr Holdback’s killers

SA Police Chief Inspector 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 if a skateboard was involved in the altercation or if something else was going on… but it’s clear that voices were raised and people were angry,” he said.

Major crime detectives cordoned off Barrpowell St with evidence markers next to a skateboard, a pool of blood and tire marks.

Supt Bray said the car involved in the incident was last seen traveling westbound on Musgrave St.

However, agents were unable to determine the make or model.

‘We are convinced it is a four-door sedan. It has a sunroof and mag wheels and is dark colored – it could be silver, it could be black, it could be dark blue, we’re not sure,” Supt Bray said.

He added that the remote location of Holdback’s meeting gave it “all the hallmarks” of a drug deal or money recovery.

“Unfortunately, Will made some foolish decisions and chose drugs at various times,” Supt Bray said.

‘He comes from a decent family, he’s not a bad person. He just made a bad decision that a lot of young people make.”

Police have appealed for anyone with information, footage or who witnessed the attack to come forward as the search for Holdback’s killers continues.

Detective Chief Inspector Des Bray believes the stabbing was a ‘senseless killing over something trivial’ (photo, emergency services at the crime scene)

“I’m confident of an outcome with this job, but it will take some time,” Supt Bray said.

‘Nothing is solved by violence.

“They’ve destroyed the lives of (Will’s) family and ultimately their own lives because we’re going to find someone responsible and he’s going to go to jail for a long, long time.”

Anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage from the area, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.