Guilty verdict for offenders who helped convicted murderers

A number of people have been found guilty of assisting the offenders who murdered Max Dixon and Mason Rist last year.

During the trial, which started on Monday 17 November, the jury was told how the defendants – Dominic Smith, Ellie-Mae Maddocks, Marcus Williams and Jillian Tolliver – aided the convicted murderers who fatally stabbed Max, aged 16, and Mason, aged 15, in Knowle on 27 January 2024.

The five offenders – Anthony Snook, Riley Tolliver, Kodishai Wescott and two teenagers – were found guilty at trial last year and sentenced to life in prison.

In the early hours of Sunday 28 January, Jillian Tolliver arranged for co-defendant Marcus Williams, aged 32, to transport her son, Riley, out of Bristol following the attack the previous evening.

He drove Riley Tolliver to an address in Weston-super-Mare in a bid to evade the police.

On the same date, Smith and Maddocks, both aged 26, harboured Wescott and one of the other murderers at their address overnight. Together, they then drove them to Weston-super-Mare in an attempt to further hide them from the police.

Their attempts where ultimately unsuccessful, with all five killers arrested and charged within six days of Max and Mason’s murder. Two other offenders have already been imprisoned for assisting them.

Today (Monday 15 December), a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Smith and Maddocks, both from Westbury-on-Trym, guilty of two counts of assisting Wescott and one of the other teenage defendants.

Williams, of Hartcliffe, was found guilty of one court of assisting an offender (Riley Tolliver).

Additionally, Jillian Tolliver, aged 51 of Hartcliffe, was found to have committed the act of assisting an offender (Riley Tolliver). She was deemed not fit to stand trial and has been trialled on facts.

Following the verdict, speaking on behalf of Max’s family, his mother Leanne Ekland said: “Finally, after four long weeks we have got a great result. It’s been hard to relive the awful night back in January 2024 and have to listen to the events after Max and Mason’s death.

“I want to thank the jury who had the difficult decision to make but now we can hopefully start to focus on grieving our boys properly without the anxiety of facing anymore trials.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved or anyone who had a role in Max and Mason’s case. We are nearly two years on, but I have continued to receive the support of many people throughout the past two years, they have given everything and more to bring these people to justice.

“The saddest part is we still go home without Max and Mason, but the love shown for those boys will live on.”

Speaking on behalf of Mason’s family, his sister Chloe Dore said: “This is the best Christmas present we could have received. We are beyond thankful to the jury who saw through the lies as we did and to the investigation team who worked tirelessly to make this happen.

“Mason would be so grateful to everyone who helped him, from the time of the incident all the way through to the result today. We love Mason so much and he will forever be in our hearts.

“They tried to deny Mason and Max justice by helping their killers to evade police. I hope this will act as a reminder to those who wish to assist someone in a crime that there will be punishable consequences.”

The defendants will next appear at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 6 February for sentencing.

Officer in the case, DC Matthew Cron, said: “Max and Mason’s families have acted with exceptional patience, strength and composure throughout both the murder and assisting offenders’ trials, and it has been a privilege to deliver this outcome for them. While I know these results will never bring Max and Mason back to them, I hope that the case’s conclusion will reassure them as they continue to navigate life without their boys.

“This trial heard how the offenders sought to hide the boys’ killers from police in various ways. However, their efforts were in vain.

“It is my hope that these verdicts act as a message to all criminals and their associates. If you assist offenders in hiding from the police or destroying evidence, we will be relentless in finding you and bringing you to justice.”