Mother’s Anguish: Killer Taunts Family from Prison After Son’s Mistaken Identity Murder

Leanne Ekland, a grieving mother, has expressed her profound torment after her 16-year-old son, Max Dixon, was brutally murdered in a case of mistaken identity. Adding to her suffering, the convicted killer, 17-year-old Kodi Wescott, has been posting gloating messages on social media from his prison cell.

In an emotional interview on TV, Ekland described the devastating experience of choosing a coffin for Max, while Wescott, convicted of murdering Max and his 15-year-old friend Mason Rist, showed “no remorse” from behind bars.

Max and Mason were fatally stabbed in Bristol last year as they went to get pizza, victims of a gang’s mistaken revenge attack. Despite his imprisonment, Wescott has managed to create social media accounts where he has boasted about the killings, making cruel references to his victims’ coffins and the “33 seconds” it took to carry out the attack.

Ekland, visibly distressed, demanded answers about how Wescott gained access to the internet in prison and what consequences he would face. “It is an insult to my son,” she stated. “They were two lovely boys, not involved in any gang wars. They went out for pizza and never came home. He is gloating about what he has done.”

“I don’t understand how he has any access to the internet,” Ekland continued. “He lost that right when he murdered my son. I’m not living, I’m existing, and to see him gloating on social media… we have been tormented.”

Wescott, who received a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years, began posting on social media in January. His posts included images of himself in his secure unit, as well as pre-murder photos with friends. He also posted a video featuring a rap song, seemingly written by him, that referenced the murders and his gang. One post celebrated a video reaching 10,000 views.

Mason Rist’s mother, Nikki Knight, also expressed her “disgust” at the posts, questioning how prisoners gain access to phones and the internet. She called for stronger measures to prevent such activity.

A Youth Custody Service spokesperson stated that young offenders are prohibited from accessing social media and mobile phones, and face sanctions if caught. They confirmed an investigation into the posts and have requested social media companies to remove them.

The court heard that Wescott and his accomplices were involved in a turf war, but Max and Mason were innocent bystanders. The boys were ambushed and attacked with weapons, including a machete and zombie knife, in a 33-second frenzy.

Wescott and four others were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge acknowledged the immense pain inflicted on the victims’ families, emphasizing that Max and Mason “had done nothing wrong.”