Photo shows friends gaming together before they're both killed in mistaken identity murder

Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, were some stabbed to decease successful Bristol aft they were targeted successful a lawsuit of mistaken individuality arsenic 5 radical were convicted implicit the murders

A photograph of 2 champion friends sitting connected a sofa afloat of attraction during a PlayStation crippled is 1 of the past taken before they were brutally murdered.

Mason Rist, 15, and Max Dixon, 16, died from stab wounds aft being chased by 4 equipped teenagers connected January 27 this twelvemonth successful the Knowle West country of Bristol.

Riley Tolliver, 18, a 16-year-old boy, a 17-year-old lad and getaway operator Antony Snook, 45, were recovered blameworthy of the murders of Mason and Max astatine Bristol Crown Court aft a six-week trial. A 15-year-old lad was besides recovered blameworthy of the execution of Max aft antecedently pleading blameworthy to the execution of Mason.

Tolliver, and the 3 boys, who cannot beryllium named for ineligible reasons, had been driven to and from Knowle West by Antony Snook, 45, arsenic portion of a revenge mission.

The 2 boys had been wrongly identified arsenic being liable for bricks being thrown astatine a location successful the rival Hartcliffe territory earlier that evening. The teens tragically died aft they were stabbed to decease aft leaving Mason's location connected Ilminster Avenue successful the Knowle West country soon aft 11pm.

And the families of the 2 victims person told however the 2 loved playing PlayStation with the representation of the 2 eagerly playing a crippled appearing to beryllium a acquainted scene.

After the blameworthy verdicts were delivered, extracurricular court, surrounded by members of some families, Mason's uncle David Knight said: "Our family, similar astir families, is similar a large jigsaw puzzle and Mason was a monolithic portion of that jigsaw and fundamentally that portion of the puzzle has present been destroyed and volition ne'er beryllium replaced, and volition ever beryllium successful our hearts.

"Mason was a existent quiescent lad who would ne'er wounded a fly. He was conscionable truthful loving and caring and everyone who knew him knew what a monolithic Liverpool instrumentality helium was, and the Playstation - it was fundamentally his life. All I tin accidental is that these animals took distant a son, a brother, a nephew, an uncle, and a grandchild, and we indispensable present navigate the remainder of our lives without our puzzle piece."

In a connection from Mason's family, released by Avon and Somerset police, they added: "Mason was beauteous and innocent. It is intolerable to enactment into words however we feel. This full process has been incredibly hard and proceeding what we person heard, what happened to him, it is horrible to deliberation astir Mason's past moments."

Members of some families watched the tribunal proceedings each day. In a statement, Max's household spoke of the relationship betwixt the 2 boys, and their nonaccomplishment aft Max went retired to telephone for Mason to caput to a takeaway connected that Saturday evening.

"Max was a large quality with a blessed and joyful look connected life," his household connection said. "He was funny, benignant and caring. He was a immense portion of the household and was precise fashionable among his friends. He was afloat of beingness and had specified a cheeky side, but was ever respectful.

"The past six weeks person been emotionally draining. Today's result doesn't alteration the information that 2 families spell location without their boys. But we tin present hopefully statesman to process and retrieve them some and the blessed memories some families person of Max and Mason.

"Max and Mason person known each different since nursery schoolhouse and person ever been successful the aforesaid classes. We often joked it was a comic relationship arsenic they were some truthful antithetic but they bounced disconnected each different and brought retired the champion successful each other.

"We volition miss everything astir him. We are breached without him but helium would privation america to transportation connected and helium wouldn't privation anyone to beryllium down. We request to convey everyone that's been progressive successful our case. We person truthful overmuch respect for the hard work, dedication and enactment to our families. There are nary words to explicit however thankful we are to everyone. We volition beryllium everlastingly grateful to them."

The 5 recovered blameworthy of some murders person been remanded successful custody and volition beryllium sentenced adjacent month. Det Supt Gary Haskins, who led an probe squad that progressive 238 constabulary officers and constabulary unit astatine its height, interviewed 45 radical and included 1,593 exhibits for the tribunal case, said helium was humbled by the families of the 2 boys.

"Firstly, I americium humbled by the families' strength, courageousness and dignity they person shown passim this trial," helium said. "Family members person been successful tribunal each azygous time and person heard things nary loved 1 should hear. These 5 radical went retired that nighttime to question revenge, and thing volition ever warrant their actions against 2 boys who are truthful beauteous and innocent. The injuries those boys sustained were unsurvivable and I privation to commend the officers, paramedics and members of the nationalist for their efforts that nighttime to supply archetypal assistance to Max and Mason.

"I besides privation to recognise the unthinkable enactment of my officers and unit wrong MCIT, and those from different departments wrong the organisation, who person helped bring this lawsuit to trial. This has been a immense probe which has pooled resources from 3 antithetic forces."