Three individuals facing charges of aiding an offender in connection to the tragic murders of two close friends have entered pleas of not guilty. The victims, Max Dixon, aged 16, and Mason Rist, aged 15, were fatally stabbed in what authorities believe to be a case of mistaken identity that occurred in Knowle West, Bristol on January 27, 2024. Following the incident, four teenagers and a 45-year-old man named Antony Snook were convicted of carrying out the heinous acts.
The trio consisting of Marcus Williams, 31, hailing from Hartcliffe, Dominic Smith, 25, from Westbury, and Ellie Maddocks, 25, also from Westbury, made their appearance at Bristol Crown Court on Monday. The scheduled trial for all three individuals is set to commence in November. Antony Snook had previously been sentenced to life imprisonment by the same court in November, while Riley Tolliver, 18, Kodishai Westcott, 17, and two unnamed teenagers, ages 15 and 16, were handed prison sentences in December for their roles in the murders.
Tolliver and Westcott were each given minimum detention periods of 23 years, while the 15-year-old and 16-year-old received life sentences with minimum terms of 15 and 18 years, respectively. Additionally, two men, Bailey Westcott, 23, from Whitchurch, and Jamie Ogbourne, 27, from Hartcliffe, were also incarcerated in December after admitting to two counts of aiding an offender.
Furthermore, a man and a woman who faced similar charges of assisting an offender last year are slated to go to trial in April. For more updates, follow BBC Bristol on social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram. Share your story suggestions with us via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Stay informed with the latest developments from HM Courts & Tribunals Service.
