Jailed Teen Killers Pose Together on Snapchat While Bragging They're 'Back Together'
Two of the teenagers convicted for the brutal murders of best friends Max Dixon and Mason Rist in Bristol have sparked outrage by bragging on social media about being "back together" while incarcerated. Riley Tolliver and Kodishai Wescott, who were each detained for a minimum of 23 years for their roles in the fatal attack nearly two years ago, were seen posing together in a photo on Snapchat over the New Year period.
Social Media Posts Cause Further Distress to Grieving Families
The image, which was captioned "man dem together 3 ygb 3 young tuggz" - a reference to Wescott's rap moniker - prompted Mason Rist's family to lodge an official complaint. This incident follows previous revelations that Wescott had been creating drill rap videos from his prison cell about the murders and posting them on Instagram, causing significant distress to the victims' families despite prison staff shutting down his initial account.
Mason's mother Nikki Knight and sister Chloe discovered the New Year Snapchat post and immediately filed another complaint. Chloe revealed to local media that one of the two younger killers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had attempted to add her on social media shortly after Christmas, adding to the family's trauma.
Prison Authorities Respond to Family Complaints
Following the family's complaint, prison liaison officers confirmed that action had been taken to separate the offenders. "We can confirm that none of the co-defendants are currently in the same establishment," officials stated. "Following the reported social media posts, action was taken to move some of the offenders."
The authorities acknowledged that while it's not always possible to keep co-defendants in separate establishments, steps can be taken to ensure separation when there's an assessed risk. They confirmed the matter had been escalated and shared with the relevant establishment for appropriate action.
Ongoing Concerns About Prison Security and Monitoring
Nikki Knight expressed anger about further images of Wescott appearing on his Instagram account, questioning how he continues to access phones and social media while incarcerated. "He has posted a picture on his Instagram and Snapchat account. The probation service said it had come from within the prison," she revealed.
"He is not monitored with his visits. How can he have a phone during a visit to take a picture of him with his girlfriend and post it on Snapchat?" Knight questioned, highlighting apparent security lapses. She expressed frustration that consequences seem minimal, noting that offenders are merely told such incidents will be "a black mark against him when he is up for release in 20 years' time."
Families Demand Stronger Action and Accountability
The grieving mother emphasized the ongoing pain caused by the killers' social media activities. "They are making a mockery of what they did. He has committed murder but just doesn't care," Knight stated. "He needs all his social media to be shut down and blocked."
She raised important questions about rights and monitoring, asking: "Why is he getting away with all of this? Why isn't he being monitored? They may talk about his human rights, but what about my human rights?" The family's complaints highlight ongoing concerns about prison security, offender monitoring, and the additional trauma caused to victims' families when convicted criminals continue to access social media from behind bars.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment regarding the teenage killers' continued use of social media platforms while serving their sentences for the brutal murders that shocked the Bristol community two years ago.
