Teenagers detained for life in mistaken identity murders of Max and Mason

Four adolescents have received life detention sentences for the killings of close friends Max Dixon and Mason Rist, whose deaths resulted from a misidentification. Mason, aged 15, and Max, aged 16, suffered fatal stab wounds from machetes mere yards from Mason’s residence in Knowle West, Bristol, during January. Riley Tolliver, 18, and Kodishai Wescott, 17, whose identities can now be revealed following the lifting of reporting restrictions, were informed they would each serve a minimum detention period of 23 years. A 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, whose names are legally withheld, received life detention sentences with respective minimum terms of 15 and 18 years. Max and Mason lost their lives after being erroneously believed to be accountable for bricks thrown at a Hartcliffe property earlier on the evening of 27 January. The four adolescent defendants observed the two close friends as they were being driven through Knowle West by a fifth defendant, Anthony Snook, 45, who was seeking “revenge,” as previously disclosed in court. All five individuals were found guilty of two murder charges last month, subsequent to a six-week trial conducted at Bristol Crown Court. Snook subsequently received a life imprisonment sentence, mandated to serve a minimum of 38 years. Prior to the sentencing of the teenagers, statements composed by the mothers and sisters of Max and Mason were presented to the court, concluding with Mason’s sister, who confronted the perpetrators directly. Chloe Rist attended court and displayed a small plastic container, which she then clarified, while crying, contained Mason’s ashes. Subsequently, she retrieved another bag holding a lock of his hair, succeeded by a document featuring Mason’s handprints. Ms Rist recounted that Mason had received an autism diagnosis at age three, leading his family to be protective of him due to his “vulnerable and harmless” nature. She detailed the profound impact of his demise on her family, encompassing the “ripple effect” of her grandmother experiencing a heart attack and her infant being born prematurely. The adolescent defendants, who had been gazing forward, turned their attention directly to her. “This is Mason’s ashes and this is what you’ve done. If anyone is upset about me bringing them to court today, that is all I have left of him,” she stated. “I shouldn’t have to look at my brother’s bone fragments either.” On occasion, as the final moments of the boys were recounted in court, Mason’s mother, Nikki Knight, covered her ears with her fingers. Fiona Lamdin, a BBC reporter present in court, noted that at one juncture, the perpetrators appeared to exchange a joke and fist-bumped as a greeting. She observed that Wescott waved at the families of the victims as he was escorted from the courtroom. Max’s mother, Leanne Ekland, similarly presented a statement in court, informing the defendants that it was “really not that easy” for her to continue living, as Max “was one of my reasons for living.” “My son didn’t deserve to die, Mason didn’t deserve to die, and our family don’t deserve to have to go through this.” A declaration from Ms Knight, delivered during the proceedings, conveyed: “Mason was my youngest son. Mason was also my friend.” “I trusted him and always knew he wouldn’t tell other people the things I told him. I’m always looking at the door, checking the locks and trying to do all I can to feel safe again.” “I do these things while still expecting Mason to walk through the door, and come home to me.” She further stated: “Mason used to say he was the man of the house, he wanted to protect me, but I now feel I failed to protect him.” “I always imagined we would live together forever.” During the sentencing of the four teenagers, Ms Justice May remarked that it was “impossible” to ascertain what motivated the boys to assault Mason and Max. “Nothing can undo the events of that dreadful night,” she declared. “No sentence can lessen the sense of loss and grief caused to their families.” Throughout the trial, the jury heard about a protracted rivalry between Knowle West and Hartcliffe, with prior incidents involving individuals from “both postcodes.” Max and Mason were en route to purchase a pizza when they were assaulted “with some of the most horrific weapons” police had encountered, as previously conveyed to the court. Two of the implements, presented to the jury in court, measured 48cm (19in) and 51cm (20in) in length. Surveillance cameras recorded Snook’s Audi Q2 entering Ilminster Avenue, from which the four teenagers then emerged, brandishing substantial machetes and a baseball bat. The assaults endured for merely 33 seconds, while Snook remained in his stationary vehicle with its lights extinguished. The adolescent defendants subsequently re-entered Snook’s car, which executed a U-turn on the street and departed rapidly, abandoning the wounded boys collapsed on the thoroughfare. They succumbed to their injuries in hospital within 15 minutes of one another early the following morning, while their killers proceeded to McDonalds, according to trial testimony. Following Thursday’s sentencing, David Knight, Mason Rist’s uncle, stated that no punishment would “ever be enough.” He informed journalists: “No family should ever have to go through what our two families have gone through.” Mr Knight characterized Mason as “just a normal 15-year-old boy” who enjoyed spending time with companions and engaging in computer games. “It is so hard to accept that Mason and Max were taken from us just for walking to the shops to get some food,” he further remarked. Outside the courthouse, Detective Superintendent Gary Haskins, from Avon and Somerset Police, characterized the four adolescent defendants as “vicious” in their assault on Max and Mason. “This is a desperate case with no winners,” he commented. Each of the four adolescent defendants received two life sentences, one for each victim, along with specified minimum terms to be served prior to eligibility for parole application: For updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.