Anthony Junior Murray of Tarn Drive, Bury, was sentenced at Minshull Crown Court today following the death of Joe Burton
Anthony Junior Murray was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 18 years in prison after being found guilty of murder
Emergency services were called to reports of a disturbance at an address on Tarn Drive at approximately 11:56pm on New Year's Eve.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Joe Burton unresponsive at the bottom of a staircase with a significant amount of blood around him.
Despite efforts from a paramedics team, he was pronounced dead at 12:43am on New Year's Day, just under an hour after the reports were made. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that he had died from a single stab wound to the back.
At the scene, Murray initially claimed that he had returned home from a pub to find the victim unresponsive and denied any involvement in the incident.
However, officers quickly identified inconsistencies in his account of the event. Enquiries, including phone and location data, showed that Murray had been at the address throughout the evening, and not at the pub as he had claimed.
Joe had been in a relationship with Murray's sister and had been invited to the address earlier that evening.
Further investigation revealed that Anthony Junior Murray, his sister, the victim, and another individual had been at the property together, drinking and setting off fireworks.
Footage recovered from mobile devices, along with internal CCTV from within the address, captured the events leading up to the incident, including the fatal attack.
The CCTV footage showed Murray assaulting Joe, and putting him in a headlock before stabbing him in the back.
Following an investigation, Murray was charged with murder and was subsequently found guilty at court.
Duncan Thorpe, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Joe’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. He tragically lost his life in a senseless act of violence.
“Murray carried out a brutal attack on Joe and then attempted to mislead officers about his involvement.
“Thanks to the thorough and diligent work of the investigation team, we were able to piece together the evidence and ensure he faced justice.
“While no sentence can ever make up for the loss of Joe, we hope today’s outcome brings some closure to those who knew and loved him.”
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