'Lover's tiff could have led to murder', says friend (From Wiltshire Times)

'Lover's tiff could have led to murder', says friend

A lover’s tiff could have been the catalyst which led a lodger to commit the brutal murder of a frail grandmother, according to one of their closest friends.

Steohen Gurner

Stephen Gurner, 21, who gave evidence for the prosecution during the trial, has spoken about Marc Riley and David Carr-Burstow’s volatile relationship and drug addictions, following their convictions in connection with the murder of Antonietta Guarino.

Mr Gurner, who still lives in west Wiltshire, said Carr-Burstow was heavily into drugs, including cannabis and cocaine, culminating in an addition to smoking heroin.

He described how Riley and Carr-Burstow got together, saying: “Marc and David were friends for a time, then they got together. Everybody knew Marc was gay. I knew Dave was bisexual.

“It was a normal relationship. Marc was very much in control. Marc had all the money. He was working, so he used to give Dave money.

“Marc used to get a bit moody, but not anything violent. Marc was like a woman and used to bitch and moan. I think Dave has problems. He’s just very hyperactive. Some of his ideas were a bit far out.”

Carr-Burstow’s stay at charity hostel Amber Foundation came to a sudden end a few months later when he got thrown out after Riley planted drugs in his room following a heated row.

Talking about his relationship with the couple, Mr Gurner said: “We used to mainly do drugs together. I have been clean for over a year now.

“Dave used to do mainly weed and a few chemies here and there, like pills, and coke (cocaine).

“David was smoking about half an ounce of weed a day. He would get up and have a spliff and smoke all the way through the day.”

Mr Gurner moved into a flat in Orchard Court with former girlfriend Laura Elvin in December 2008.

He remembers the night of January 8, when the pair arrived at his flat – just hours after Riley had killed Mrs Guarino and the pair had dumped her body in the River Avon.

He said: “That night, Marc came into my flat with muddy clothes.

“Dave was up in the air and they only stayed 20 minutes and Dave said ‘let’s go out’.”

During a car journey, Carr-Burstow then told Mr Gurner how Riley had killed Mrs Guarino and they had dumped her body in the river.

“I thought he was joking,” he said. “I said ‘yeah, alright’.

“After that night, Dave used to take me aside when he visited our flat.

“He thought the house was being watched. He would say ‘I’m cracking up, I don’t know what to do’.

“I think it was a lovers’ argument. That’s all I think it was that led to it.”

Mr Gurner became embroiled in the police operation when they raided his flat in late January, and he was later arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods – Mrs Guarino’s jewellery – and assisting an offender. Mr Gurner said he is now looking to the future as his girlfriend Charmine Scurlock, 18, is due to give birth to a son in two weeks’ time.