Heir To Rs 2,500 Crore Fortune Accused Of Stabbing Friend 37 Times

Disturbing details have come to light in the trial of UK's Dylan Thomas, accused of killing his childhood friend and roommate, William Bush, on Christmas Eve 2023. Thomas, 24, heir to Peter's Food Services, a Rs 2,500 crore food industry giant in the UK, allegedly stabbed Mr Bush 37 times before killing him. Prosecutors revealed Thomas searched online for the "anatomy of the neck" before the attack, as per the NY Post.

On the night of the murder, Thomas invited Mr Bush to his room under the pretence of meeting before the holidays. What followed was nothing short of horrifying. The victim was stabbed a total of 37 times, with 13 of those wounds concentrated on his neck. Mr Bush's desperate attempt to flee left a trail of blood through the house. The final blow came on the patio, where Thomas severed an artery in Mr Bush's neck, ending his life. Neighbours reported hearing "screams of horror" during the assault.

Police body cam footage later showed Thomas covered in blood, falsely claiming that he had disarmed an attacker. A significant part of the case also involved testimony from Mr Bush's girlfriend, Ella Jeffries, who revealed the deteriorating dynamics between the two friends. 

Thomas allegedly threatened Mr Bush, “I thought and wondered about killing you. I just wanted to see what would happen if I do certain things,” the court was told, as per the BBC.

Ms Jeffries also described how her boyfriend had started barricading his bedroom door at night out of fear.

Thomas was diagnosed with schizophrenia following his arrest. He had been previously detained for attempting to climb the fence at Buckingham Palace just weeks before the murder. However, psychiatrists have presented conflicting views on his mental state at the time of the crime. While Thomas pleaded guilty to manslaughter, he denies murder. "Everywhere on him, I kept going and stabbed him. I didn't stop,” Thomas said, as per the BBC, adding, “he stabbed me on my hands, my hands to get the knife.”

The prosecution has painted a disturbing picture of the crime's premeditated nature. Gregory Bull KC, prosecuting, said, "This was a planned attack. He deliberately armed himself with knives and attacked him from behind." Thomas, appearing via video link from Ashworth High Secure Hospital in Merseyside, remains under treatment for his schizophrenia as the court deliberates on the shocking details of the case.