In a case that has shaken the community of Prestatyn and sent ripples across the UK, 18-year-old Tristan Roberts has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 22 and a half years, for the brutal and meticulously planned murder of his mother, Angela Shellis. The details of the crime, revealed through police investigation and court proceedings, paint a harrowing picture of premeditated violence, online misogyny, and a family’s desperate—yet ultimately unsuccessful—struggle to seek help for a troubled son.
The events unfolded in the early hours of October 24, 2025, when Roberts, who had just turned 18, carried out a sustained and fatal attack on his 45-year-old mother. According to Nation Cymru, Angela’s body was discovered later that morning by a member of the public in Morfa Nature Park, sparking a major investigation by North Wales Police. The crime scene was grisly: a blood trail stretching over 100 meters, a discarded crutch, and blood-soaked clothing items concealed in the undergrowth.
Investigators quickly identified Roberts, who lived with his mother on Coniston Drive, as the prime suspect. He was arrested at his home that afternoon, and over the course of four days, was interviewed nine times—answering “no comment” to every question. On October 28, he was charged with murder. The court later heard that Roberts had held his mother captive in her bedroom for nearly four hours, assaulting her with a hammer and preventing her from escaping. He recorded much of the ordeal on a dictaphone, capturing both his mother’s pleas for help and his own chilling commentary.
The prosecution, as reported by BBC and The Independent, revealed the extent of Roberts’ planning. He had waited until his 18th birthday to legally purchase the weapons he would use—including knives, hammers, and axes. In the weeks leading up to the murder, he posted messages on Discord, a social media platform popular with gamers, where he expressed hatred of women and a fascination with violence and fictional serial killers like Dexter and Patrick Bateman. Despite being banned multiple times for violating Discord’s conduct rules, Roberts created at least 16 different aliases to continue sharing his graphic intentions. On the night of the attack, he changed his profile status to: “Tonight’s the night.”
Perhaps most disturbing, Roberts left an audio message on his dictaphone: “This is Tristan Roberts. Tonight I’m going to murder my mother with a sledgehammer.” The device also contained hours-long recordings of the attack itself, including the moment he lured Angela out of the house under the pretense of seeking medical help. CCTV and doorbell footage showed Roberts leading his mother, who was using a crutch due to a knee injury, out of their home at 3:19 AM. By 3:30, they were seen walking along Sandy Lane railway crossing, with Roberts carrying a rucksack containing the murder weapon. Once at Morfa Nature Reserve, he instructed Angela to sit on a bench before launching a fatal assault—striking her head repeatedly with a hammer.
After the attack, Roberts dragged his mother’s body into brambles, disposed of her crutch, and returned home alone. Later, he returned to the scene with cleaning supplies, apparently intending to remove evidence, but was interrupted by early morning dog walkers. Back at home, he used his mother’s mobile phone to respond to messages from his older brother, Ethan, claiming that Angela was simply unwell and asleep. Later that morning, he logged onto Discord to boast about the murder, describing in graphic detail how he “beat the s*** out of her” and “smashed her skull in so hard with a sledgehammer.”
Angela’s family, devastated by the loss, described her as a devoted mother, daughter, sister, and aunty. Her sister, Sarah Gunther, addressed Roberts in court: “I hope in time you can come to understand the full consequences of your actions, and the pain and devastation they have caused to so many people.” She added, “Angela may be gone from our sight, but she will never be gone from our hearts.” Ethan Roberts, Angela’s older son, revealed in a statement that the trauma had forced him to temporarily withdraw from university. “All my mum ever did was love Tristan,” he wrote. “She looked after him and put up with way more than anyone ever should have, but that was my mum—she would do anything for us, anything for him.”
The court was told that Angela had repeatedly sought help for her son, who had diagnoses of autism and ADHD and a history of disruptive behavior. Her diary entries and messages to professionals expressed mounting fear for her safety. She noted finding a “black balaclava, black leggings, leather type gloves, huge army backpack—sleeps with it... concealed hammer in his room.” Despite her efforts and the involvement of social services, Angela’s concerns went largely unaddressed.
Judge Rhys Rowlands, presiding over the case at Mold Crown Court, described the killing as “a truly awful way for someone to die,” made even more dreadful by the fact that her attacker was her own son. He noted that medical experts had found Roberts was not suffering from any significant mental disorder that would have substantially impacted his behavior at the time. “Rather you would have known what you were doing and been able to exercise self control,” the judge said. “As such, whilst I don’t discount or ignore your mental health, it is a feature and does mitigate your behaviour.”
Roberts’ actions, the court heard, were driven by a toxic mix of misogyny, a desire for control, and feelings of abandonment and resentment towards his mother. He wrote about his “hatred of women” and his motivations for “revenge, justice, vengeance.” In chilling digital notes, he discussed methods for disposing of his mother’s body and even sought advice from an AI search engine on how to clean up bloodstains, under the guise of researching for a book about serial killers.
Angela Shellis, a qualified teacher and teaching assistant at Rhyl High School, had moved to North Wales to be closer to her family after a separation from her husband. She was known for her warmth, kindness, and unwavering support for her children, even as she struggled to manage her younger son’s escalating behavior. Her tragic death has left a void in her family and community, and raised difficult questions about the effectiveness of social and mental health support systems for families in crisis.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Gibson, who led the investigation, praised the “tremendous bravery” Angela showed during the attack and acknowledged the community’s support throughout the investigation. “Through a thorough investigation, the Major Incident Team, supported by specialist teams, were able to piece together the final hours of Angela’s life, as well as evidence the extent that Tristan Roberts had gone to, over several weeks, as he planned to kill his mother,” he said.
The sentencing brings some measure of closure, but for Angela’s loved ones, the pain and unanswered questions remain. The story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked online extremism, the challenges faced by families dealing with complex mental health needs, and the enduring cost of violence within the home.