Two men jailed for machete murder in York
Victim sustained fatal injuries from a machete at his bedsit
Two men have been jailed for life after being found guilty of murder in York.
Jobie Tyers, 28, of no fixed address, and Michael Richard Mulvana, 32, from York, were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for the premeditated killing of Indrit Mustafaj, 26.
The incident took place on 23rd November 2024, when Tyers and Mulvana forcibly entered a bedsit in the Haxby Road area of York. Wearing face coverings and initially armed with weapons including a crowbar, they sought to "tax" the occupants for drugs they believed to be at the location.
Upon entering, they found a machete which was used to inflict multiple stab wounds on Mr Mustafaj, resulting in his death due to a severed artery.
Two other victims, a man and a woman, were also injured during the attack but have since recovered.
Investigation and Trial
A swift investigation by the North Yorkshire Police's Major Investigation Team led to the identification and arrest of Tyers and Mulvana within a day of the attack.
They were charged with murder three days later and appeared at York Magistrates' Court.
The case was sent to crown court where both men faced charges of murder, robbery, and assault. Tyers pleaded guilty to robbery but denied the other charges, while Mulvana denied all charges.
A jury found them guilty of murder following a trial that concluded on 3rd February.
Sentencing
Each man received a life sentence with a minimum term of 27 years and 295 days before they can be considered for release.
Detective Chief Superintendent Fran Naughton commented on the outcome:
“Mr Mustafaj’s death was both brutal and tragic. While his attackers brought weapons to carry out this premeditated attack, our investigation revealed that the fatal injuries were inflicted with a machete they found when they got to the bedsit.
“It was probably there with the intention of using it in self-defence, in the event of an attack like this. But by owning a knife you’re potentially arming your attacker.
“As detectives, sadly we see people lose their lives in this way and we also see the impact on their families’ lives when they’re gone. Both of these consequences are horrendous and show how dangerous possessing or carrying a knife can be.
“Mulvana and Tyers are violent individuals who will now have an extremely long time in custody to reflect on what they’ve done."