Chilling Snapchat messages reveal how pie fortune inheritor tried to lure his public schoolboy greatest pal to his demise hours earlier than brutally murdering him on Christmas Eve

The heir to a £230million pie fortune sent chilling messages to his public schoolboy best friend hours before brutally stabbing him to death on Christmas Eve last year.

Dylan Thomas, 23, stabbed William Bush, also 23, in the rented home the pair shared in Llandaff, Cardiff, on December 24.

Mr Bush was found dead in the newly-built house, owned by Thomas’s grandfather Sir Stanley Thomas, a Welsh tycoon behind a business empire including Peter’s Pies. 

Thomas, who is being treated for schizophrenia, was found guilty today after a week-long trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

He had admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denied murder ahead of the trial.

Cardiff Crown Court was shown CCTV footage of Thomas being dropped off by grandmother Sharon Burton in her plush Porsche before he went to stab his friend in the chest with a kitchen knife and slit his throat in the violent attack.

Thomas texted William on Snapchat the night before he killed him, where he typed multiple question marks in the repeated messages asking when he was going to leave.

One read: ‘I need to see you before you leave the house tomorrow, lmk (let me know) what time you go.’

Loner Thomas struck after his only friend Williams who told him he was planning to move out with his girlfriend Ella Jeffries.

He got Mrs Burton to drive him from her home 20 miles back to Llandaff, Cardiff, on Christmas Eve, saying that he was going to go walk his dog.

At this time, he texted William again, asking ‘you home???’ to which his friend replied: ‘Yeah I’m home’.

Thomas then told him: ‘Ok nearly home stay there x.’ 

He arrived at 11.16am on December 24 where he then attacked William from behind by stabbing him multiple times at the house they shared. 

He then called the ambulance, telling them ‘he’s my friend’ and ‘he’s dead’, while a witness called the police. He was arrested at the scene.

CCTV showed the white Porsche pulling up outside the house prior to the attack and later showed police bodycam footage of Thomas being cautioned in a police van.

Another video showed him the day before at a family lunch in a restaurant at Miskin near Cardiff.

Thomas was today described as ‘an evil, manipulative liar’ by the heartbroken relatives of his murder victim.

The family of William said: ‘My family have been completely devastated by the brutal and senseless murder of our much-loved Will.

‘Words cannot describe the impact this has had on our family however it is not just us who have lost a son and a brother, but Will’s girlfriend, friends and extended family have also lost someone who they loved very much.

‘Will was innocently getting ready to return back to Brecon to spend Christmas with us all when the attack took place and instead of Will arriving at our door for dinner on Christmas Eve, it was Dyfed Powys Police to deliver the beyond devastating news.

‘We cannot even begin to comprehend the fear and suffering that Will endured on Christmas Eve last year and we will have to live with the hurt, grief, anger and upset for the rest of our lives.

‘Dylan Thomas is an evil, manipulative liar. Throughout this process we have seen no evidence of any remorse or taking responsibility for his actions that day. We can only hope that he will never be released back into the community.

‘As a family, we have found the whole legal process incredibly distressing, so much so that my parents have found it too utterly unbearable to attend any of the trial.

‘The process has also focused heavily on Dylan Thomas and his mental state which has been incredibly difficult to sit through when he is the person who planned and murdered our beloved Will and has taken away his voice and bright future.

‘Will was such a loyal, funny, caring and trusting person. He lit up every room he walked in to with his cheeky grin and quick-witted humour.

‘Will was a very talented golfer and spent much of his free time on the course with his brother Alex. He had a large group of friends who have been so supportive to our family throughout this difficult time.

‘We would like to thank all of those individuals, along with our wider family and friends who have shown nothing but kindness and empathy over the last 11 months.

‘We know that Will was excited for his future with his girlfriend Ella, and they were planning on moving in together.

‘This has all tragically been taken away from Will, who had his whole life ahead of him, but we ask that he is remembered as the great person he was, and his memory is not defined by this barbaric attack.

‘As a family, we are relieved to hear today’s verdict of murder. Firstly, we would like to thank the Police, the CPS, Mr Bull KC and Mr Wright for all of their work and support over the last 11 months and are thankful that all of this hard work has led to the correct verdict today. ‘

Sir Thomas, whose net worth was estimated to be £230million in 2013, sat in court throughout the trial.

‘Loner’ Thomas struck after his only friend Mr Bush told him he was planning to move out with his girlfriend Ella Jeffries. 

He had been staying at his grandmother’s house in Rhoose, in the Vale of Glamorgan, the night before he attacked Mr Bush. He told her he wanted to go back to the house he shared with his friend to walk his dog, Bruce. 

His grandmother sat in the car while he went inside, before returning minutes later, banging on the window covered in blood. She carried out CPR on Mr Bush until the paramedics arrived.

Mr Bush sustained 37 stab wounds in the attack, including 16 to the neck, and people on the street described ‘horror screams’ from inside the house.

The jury heard that, before going back to the house, Thomas had searched online for anatomy of the neck.

Thomas had cuts to the palms of his hands, which he told police he received while trying to defend himself.

The two had been friends since they were about 13, having met at Christ College Brecon, a private boarding and day school in mid-Wales.

Thomas was described to the jury as being ‘something of a loner’ while Mr Bush was more outgoing and active. His brother called him a ‘loyal’ friend.

Thomas appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday by video link from Ashworth Hospital Liverpool, where he is in custody and being treated for schizophrenia.

He was wearing a navy blue T-shirt with short black hair, his hands clasped in front of him, looking impassive, as the verdict was read.

Cries were heard from the public gallery as the verdict was read out.

During the trial, the jury heard from Dr Panchu Xavier, a consultant forensic psychiatrist at Ashworth, who said the defendant could have been having a psychotic episode during the attack and for ‘up to six months before the event’.

The jury also heard Thomas had been arrested for breaking into Buckingham Palace a few months before the attack on Mr Bush.

Thomas told officers he was looking for ‘energy fields’ between the palace and Cleopatra’s Needle, an obelisk in central London.

He was rugby-tackled by an officer after he told them he was ‘over now so you may as well show me round’.

The jury also previously heard that in the months leading up to the attack Thomas had confessed to his friend that he had thought about killing him. 

Mr Bush’s girlfriend, Ms Jefferies, told the court her partner had barricaded his door, fearing Thomas would enter his room.

Mr Bull said that the prosecution suggests the motive of the killing ”is hidden”, adding: ‘Only two people can tell you if there might have been a motive.

‘One of them is dead and the other, for reasons known to you, has not been able to give evidence, so don’t speculate.’

The prosecutor told the jury: ‘To all intents and purposes, they were good friends and that’s one of the mysteries of this case, we don’t know what caused Dylan Thomas to act in the way he did.

‘Whether it was a feeling of loneliness or resentment, despite having everything in life, Dylan Thomas had achieved very little.

‘Whereas on the other side of the coin, Mr Bush having come from very little, achieved great success in his personal life.

‘He had found a new job, albeit delivering newspapers, in a stable relationship with his girlfriend, and were looking to buy or rent a house.

‘Everything in his life was on the up where it might have been perceived in Dylan Thomas’s case, life was on the downward spiral.’

Thomas was branded an ‘evil, manipulative liar’ by the family of Mr Bush today. 

Catrin Bush, speaking outside Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, said: ‘We are relieved to hear today’s verdict of murder. We would like to thank the police, CPS, Mr Bull KC and Mr Wright for all their work and support over the last 11 months, and we are thankful that all of this hard work has led to the correct verdict today.

‘My family have been completely devastated by the brutal and senseless murder of our much loved Will, words cannot describe the impact this has had on our family. However, it is not just us who have lost a son and a brother, Will’s girlfriend, friends and extended family have also lost someone who they loved very much.

‘Will was innocently getting ready to return back to Brecon to spend Christmas with us all when the attack took place, and instead of Will arriving at our door for dinner on Christmas Eve, it was Dyfed Powys Police to deliver the beyond devastating news.

‘We cannot even begin to comprehend the fear and suffering that Will endured on Christmas Eve last year, we will have to live with the hurt, grief, anger and upset for the rest of our lives. Dylan Thomas is an evil, manipulative liar.

‘Throughout this process, we have seen no evidence of any remorse or taken responsibility for his actions that day.

‘We can only hope that he will never be released back into the community.’

After returning their unanimous verdict, trial judge Mrs Justice Steyn thanked the jury for their work over the last week.

‘There are a number of things I wish to say at the conclusion of this trial,’ she said.

‘First of all, I would like to thank you for your dedication, commitment and patience in carrying out this extremely important public service in sitting on a jury.

‘You have very obviously listened to the evidence with care and taken your responsibilities seriously at all times.

‘You have heard deeply upsetting evidence during this trial and you obviously had the support of each other during the course of the trial.

‘The juror notice form that you have provides some guidance for jurors who after the trial is over may feel upset about anything to do with the case and wish to speak with someone about this.

‘On top of that there is no rush for you to leave this building and you will be given all the time you need to gather your thoughts before you do so.’ 

She added: ‘Now this case is over you can discuss what happened here in this courtroom with anyone but you must never reveal what was said or done in the privacy of the jury room.

‘This is absolutely forbidden by an Act of Parliament. Your deliberations when you were trying to reach a verdict must remain private.’

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Rebecca Merchant said: ‘William Bush was a much-loved son, brother and boyfriend with a bright future ahead of him which included moving in with his girlfriend and starting a new job.

‘On the 24th December 2023 as he looked forward to spending Christmas with his family and girlfriend he was killed by someone he regarded as his

friend having done nothing to warrant the brutal violence inflicted upon him.

‘Our thoughts today, as they have been throughout the investigation, are with William, his family and girlfriend and whilst we welcome today’s verdict we recognise that nothing will ever bring William back or take away the heartbreak felt by those who loved him the most.

‘I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of police officers and emergency service colleagues who tried their best to help him.

‘I am grateful to the community of Llandaff for their support during the investigation as well as expert witnesses who provided evidence in this case.

‘And finally I wish to thank the team of detectives and police staff who have worked tirelessly on this investigation together with the Crown Prosecution Service and Prosecution Counsel. The efforts of all involved have contributed to today’s outcome.’

Detective Merchant paid tribute to the professionalism of the police officers and emergency services who tried their best to help Mr Bush.

Thomas, who was remanded into custody, will be sentenced on December 16.