Man who murdered 'friend' and stole her money jailed

A man who stabbed his "friend" 11 times in the neck and stole money from her has been jailed for life.

Derbyshire Police said Thomas Turner and Mandy Riley had been drinking and smoking together at her flat at Harriet Tubman House in Normanton on 4 June 2025.

Turner asked Riley for money, which she refused, and Turner then lost his temper and stabbed her repeatedly, before stealing money from her handbag.

The 64-year-old, of Uttoxeter New Road in Derby, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 28 years in prison at Lincoln Crown Court on Tuesday.

After her death last year, Riley's family said she was "loved beyond words" and "missed beyond measure".

"She was always welcoming, opening her heart and home to others, and no matter how busy she was, she always made time for the people she cared about," they said.

"She loved her family and had a lot of good friends."

After stealing Riley's money, Turner left the flat at about 22:30 BST and was captured on CCTV using the cash to buy alcohol.

Riley's body was found just after 10:30 the next day by another friend who was due to take her to a medical appointment, and became concerned after getting no response to phone calls, police added.

Turner was arrested later that day, but refused to leave his cell and when eventually questioned, remained silent. He was charged with murder on 8 June last year.

He was later found guilty following a trial at a crown court hearing held in Loughborough.

Det Ch Insp Laura Sanders, of Derbyshire Police, said: "Mandy was in her own home when her life was so cruelly ended - all so her supposed friend could take her money and then use it to fund his drink and drugs habit.

"After stabbing and killing Mandy, Turner went to another friend's house to wash his clothes. CCTV also shows him wiping his shoes on grass in a bid to clean them. The T-shirt and trainers he was wearing at the time have never been found.

"These were not the actions of a man with nothing to hide, this was a deliberate and calculated move by a killer who had taken the life of his friend for money.

"I know that no jail sentence will ever give Mandy's family back what they have lost, but I hope that knowing Turner will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars will help them to begin rebuilding their lives."

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