A man who brutally stabbed his friend 11 times in the neck and then stole money from her handbag has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Thomas Turner, 34, murdered Mandy Riley at her home in Normanton, Derbyshire, before using the cash to fund his alcohol and drug addiction.
The Murder
The incident occurred on June 4 last year at Harriet Tubman House. Turner and Ms Riley had been drinking and smoking together when he allegedly asked for money. When she refused, he flew into a rage and stabbed her repeatedly. He then rifled through her handbag, taking cash before leaving the flat around 10:30 pm.
CCTV footage captured Turner using the stolen money to buy alcohol shortly after the murder. He then went to a friend's house in Duncan Road, where he placed his clothes in the washing machine and left without speaking to anyone. His T-shirt and trainers from that night have never been found.
Trial and Conviction
Turner was arrested on June 5 and charged with murder on June 8. He denied the offence and stood trial at Loughborough Crown Court, where a jury convicted him in April. On Tuesday, April 28, at Lincoln Crown Court, he was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 28 years.
Forensic evidence linked Turner to the crime: his DNA was found on the strap and outside of Ms Riley's purse, as well as on a distinctive crack pipe belonging to the victim, which was discovered at the Duncan Road property among his belongings.
Victim Discovery
Ms Riley's body was found just after 10:30 am the next day by a friend who was due to take her to a medical appointment. The friend had become concerned after receiving no response to phone calls. When the friend left the flat the previous night, Turner was the only other person present.
Police Statement
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Sanders, who led the investigation, said: "Mandy was in her own home when her life was so cruelly ended – all so her supposed friend could take her money and then use it to fund his drink and drugs habit. After stabbing and killing Mandy, Turner went to another friend's house to wash his clothes. CCTV also shows him wiping his shoes on grass in a bid to clean them. These were not the actions of a man with nothing to hide, this was a deliberate and calculated move by a killer who had taken the life of his friend for money."
She added: "Turner has never given a reason for his actions on that night, instead repeatedly insisting he wasn't responsible for Mandy's death. Thankfully the jury didn't believe any of his lies and convicted him of murder. I know that no jail sentence will ever give Mandy's family back what they have lost, but I hope that knowing Turner will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars will help them to begin rebuilding their lives."
