Snapchat killer found guilty of murdering Kyle Walley

Image source, North Wales Police

Image caption, Mark Jones denied murder but was found guilty

A man who stabbed his friend in the heart and posted videos of his dead body on Snapchat has been found guilty of murder.

Kyle Walley, 19, died on his kitchen floor in Rhosymedre, Wrexham, on 11 July 2021.

A video filmed just before the fatal attack and posted on Snapchat was shown to jurors at Mold Crown Court.

Mark Jones, 20, of Chester Road, Wrexham, denied murder but was found guilty.

The Snapchat footage showed Jones drinking cider and bourbon at Mr Walley's flat and making stabbing motions towards him while his back was turned.

He also posted videos from the flat saying he was "thinking of stabbing someone up right now".

Jones also sent phone messages to Mr Walley the day before his death, which included an image of himself with a cartoon knife and the message "I'm going to stab you up tomorrow".

Mold Crown Court heard during the trial how Jones had an "obsession" with knives.

Image caption, Mark Jones arriving at Mold Crown Court

The court was also shown videos, which were posted online, of Mr Walley lying dead while the defendant kicked him.

In another, where Jones showed his bloodstained hands to the camera, he said he had "stabbed up" Mr Walley and was "going to do time".

Concerned friends who saw the videos called police.

Prosecutor John Philpotts said a friend of Kyle Walley, Attia Jones was on the phone with him just before he was attacked, heard him shouting "put the knife down".

She then heard screaming, and Mr Jones shouting that he was sorry, and "it's my ADHD".

Mr Walley had expected to watch the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy with Jones, whom he considered to be his friend.

Jones arrived at Mr Walley's flat at lunchtime but shortly before 17:00 BST, before the game had even started, Mr Walley had been stabbed to death.

Giving evidence during the trial, Jones said he had acted in self defence because Kyle Walley had come at him with the knife.

He claimed he had grabbed the knife and struck his friend to "get him away from me".

Mr Justice Stephen Eyre told Jones the sentence would be one of life imprisonment.

He will be sentenced on Friday, when the judge will determine the minimum term he will serve in custody.