The family of a man who was murdered on Christmas Day have issued a statement after a teenager was found guilty of his murder today.
Billy McNicholl, 63, was found at an address on Hawthorn Drive in Ipswich just before 6pm on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
Jake McMillan, now 18, of Peterhouse Close, Ipswich, was found guilty today at Ipswich Crown Court for the murder.
Following the verdict, Billy's family asked Suffolk police to release a statement on their behalf.
They said: "As a family we’d like to thank Detective Inspector Mark Hughes and his team for their tireless and diligent work on William’s murder investigation.
“We would also like to give special thanks to Sam and Elise, the family liaison officers, and to all our friends and family who have supported us.
“William had such an undignified passing, so we are grateful with this result and that we can now finally offer him some dignity and peace.”
Detective Inspector Mark Hughes of Suffolk Constabulary’s Major Investigation Team, said: “This was a truly awful case of a man being attacked and killed in his own home.
“The impact of incidents such as this are huge, with Billy’s family and friends losing a loved one in such horrific circumstances and a young man now facing life as a convicted murderer.
“I can only hope that this verdict can bring them a little bit of peace. I would like to thank them for their patience during this investigation and trial and for their support throughout.
“This has been an incredibly complicated investigation, with hundreds of hours of CCTV footage meticulously viewed to enable the facts of that day to be pieced together.
“Despite this, we may never know exactly why Billy’s life was taken, and in such a violent manner.”
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