A jealous teenager who "butchered" his brother and stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife in front of their mum has been jailed.
Tyler Lindley repeatedly plunged the blade into Cameron Lindley's neck and chest in the garden of their mum's house as his older sibling fought for his life.
Cameron suffered horrific wounds in the assault and died at the scene despite emergency treatment from police officers and paramedics, reports Wales Online.
On Thursday, Lindley was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years before he can apply for release, though it will be for the Parole Board to determine if he is safe to be let out.
Judge Thomas said it may be in Lindley's case that he is never deemed safe to be released.
Swansea Crown Court heard how Tyler Lindley, now aged 20, has a long history of disturbed and challenging behaviour and had made repeated threats against the life of his older sibling, who he regarded as the "golden child" who had all their mother's love.
Michael Jones KC, for the prosecution, said as youngsters Tyler and Cameron were put on the child protection register and were subsequently placed together with foster parents.
He said throughout Tyler's childhood he exhibited "problematic behaviour" both in school and in foster placements and there were intervention from a number of agencies and mental health services.
The court heard that on September 8 last year there was a family gathering and the siblings' mother's house in Treforis in Betws, Mid Wales, and that after the extended family left at around 6.30pm Cameron, Tyler, and their mother had dinner together.
They watched the news of the Queen's death on the television, while the mum's young granddaughter was asleep upstairs.
The prosecutor said during the course of the evening Tyler went for a cigarette and the mother later reported how she saw her son in the doorway of the kitchen "glaring" at them.
He said Tyler then selected the largest knife from the knife block in the kitchen, "sniggered" and apologised to Cameron and then lunged at his brother with the blade.
A struggle ensued between the brother with the mother trying to get between them, and Cameron then fled into the front garden pursued by Tyler.
The court heard it was in the garden that the fatal attack took place with Tyler repeatedly stabbing 22-year-old Cameron in the neck and chest as Cameron tried to protect himself from the blows. The attack was carried out in front of their mother who then locked the door for fear Tyler would come for her and her sleeping granddaughter.
Police were called and Tyler was arrested on the pavement outside the house, his hands covered in blood.
Victim 'lured killer away from mum'
Cameron was found lying unresponsive on the lawn in blood-soaked clothes. The court heard that despite emergency medical treatment first from police officers and then paramedics the student could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead at 9.10pm. A blood stained kitchen knife with a 21cm long blade was recovered from the garden.
The boys' mother later told police she thought the motive for the attack had been jealousy, and she said she believed Cameron had run out of the house in order to draw Tyler away from her in order to protect her.
A post mortem examination of Cameron's body found 19 stab wound to his neck, chest and upper back including "gaping injuries" to his neck which severed arteries and his larynx. There were also multiple defensive lacerations to his hands.
The court heard Tyler was taken first to hospital and then to Ammanford police station where he said "the voices made me do it" and that he wanted to kill his brother but didn't want him to suffer, and started talking about Cameron and "black magic voodoo sh*t".
He later gave police a prepared statement in which he said his brother had punched him and he had defended himself, and that he had no intention of causing his sibling any harm. He went on to say Cameron had all their mother's love.
In a statement from Tyler and Cameron's sister Shelby which was read to the court by junior prosecution barrister Carina Hughes, said she would never be able to comprehend what had happened. She said Cameron was a "good, caring, kind young man" who had a bright future ahead of him, and she descried him as "loving and pure" and who had been doted on by his nieces and nephews.
Tyler Lindley, of Groves Road, Neath, had previously pleaded guilty to murder when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions from May 2022 for criminal damage and failing to surrender to custody.
The defendant interrupted the hearing a number of times with loud outbursts from the dock and one point the judge had him taken down to the cells.
He was allowed back into court to hear his barrister speak on his behalf and to hear the sentence being passed.
Speaking after the sentencing Dyfed-Powys Police detective superintendent Jayne Butler, said: "The circumstances of this investigation were particularly harrowing as Cameron, a young man with a bright future ahead of him, cruelly lost his life at the hands of his younger brother, Tyler.
"I would like to thank my team for the hard work and dedication they have shown throughout this difficult investigation. I would also like to thank Cameron’s family for their support following a very traumatic incident at the family home and the investigation that followed. The strength and dignity they have shown during this investigation must be commended and our thoughts remain with them at this sad time."
