Anthony Junior Murray, 25, has been jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years for the murder of Joe Burton, 23, whom he stabbed in the back with a combat knife after a row about his dog on New Year's Eve. The fatal blow, which penetrated approximately 18cm, was captured on a pet camera installed in Murray's flat in Bury.
Attack at New Year's Eve gathering
Mr Burton was stabbed at 11.49pm on December 31 last year at a flat on Tarn Drive in Redvales, Bury. He had been in an 'on-off' relationship with Murray's sister Kayleigh, whom he had met when they were 13. The couple had a child together in 2024 but their relationship was blighted by alcohol abuse.
On the evening, Murray, Mr Burton, Kayleigh, and Murray's friend Wah Tun, 22, were in the flat. After letting off fireworks, tensions rose, with Murray and Mr Burton rowing over Murray's dogs. Murray told Mr Burton to 'get the f*** out of my house' and threatened to 'slit your f****** throat'. After a struggle, Murray stabbed Mr Burton once to the back.
Lies and arrest
After the stabbing, Murray did not help Mr Burton or call 999. Instead, he phoned his family and told a series of lies to police, initially claiming another person had stabbed Mr Burton. He was arrested at 12.30am, and Mr Burton was pronounced dead at 12.43am.
In a 'remarkable stroke of luck', the murder was captured on a pet camera used to monitor Murray's dogs. After being shown the footage, Murray said he had 'blanked out' and could not give an account of what happened.
Trial and sentence
Murray admitted stabbing Mr Burton but claimed self-defence. A jury rejected his case and found him guilty of murder by a majority of 11 to 1. Sentencing at Minshull Street Crown Court, Judge Maurice Greene said: 'It is not my task to put a value on Joe Burton's life because no sentence can do that. Criminal law can not restore him to his family. But the court must recognise the seriousness of the harm caused, and I do.'
