Heir to $291M Fortune Accused of Killing Best Friend in ‘Frenzied’ Christmas Eve Attack
A Welsh court is hearing a disturbing case in which Dylan Thomas, 24, reportedly the heir to a multi-million-dollar fortune, has been accused of stabbing his best friend, William Bush, 23, to death in a violent Christmas Eve attack. Thomas, the grandson of the former co-owner of Peter’s Savoury Products, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder, as Cardiff Crown Court considers whether he acted with intent.
Christmas Eve Horror Unfolds in Welsh Home
On December 24, 2023, Thomas allegedly attacked Bush, his long-time friend and housemate, in their shared home in Llandaff, Wales. The court heard that Thomas, after unsuccessfully attempting to book an Uber, convinced his grandmother, Sharon Burton, to drive him to the home where Bush was staying. According to prosecution lawyer Greg Bull, Thomas had “armed himself with a large kitchen knife and a black flick knife.” Once inside, he reportedly attacked Bush from behind, stabbing him 37 times in what the court described as a “seven minutes of horror.”
Bull described Bush as “a quiet and passive man who shied away from confrontation.” He added, “Dylan Thomas was a loner and his only real friend was Will,” noting that the pair had met in school.
Evidence Suggests Pre-Meditated Attack
Prosecutors allege that Thomas’s actions showed intent. Just after midnight on Christmas Eve, he reportedly searched for “anatomy of the neck” on his computer. Court documents further detail that Thomas stabbed Bush multiple times in the neck, severing a major artery. Witnesses testified that Bush attempted to escape, only to collapse outside on the patio. Thomas then reportedly banged on his grandmother’s car window in distress before calling 999 and claiming Bush had attacked him.
The prosecution recounted that just two months before the incident, Bush had confided in his girlfriend, Ella Jeffries, about his growing fear of Thomas, who had allegedly said, “I thought or wondered about killing you.” Bush reportedly “barricaded himself in his bedroom” that night, telling Jeffries he was “frightened.”
Mental Health Concerns and Previous Incidents Surface in Court
Thomas, who is being treated for schizophrenia in a psychiatric hospital, was deemed “mentally unwell” by the prosecution. Bull noted that Thomas had been dealing with psychosis and that his mental state worsened after the attack. The court also heard that in November 2023, Thomas was arrested in London after attempting to climb into Buckingham Palace, further highlighting his mental instability.
As the trial continues, Cardiff Crown Court will determine whether Thomas’s condition influenced his actions or if he acted with intent in what Bull described as a “frenzied attack” on his closest friend.
