The man who led the investigation into the murder of High Wycombe resident Karl Stanislaus has described the killing as one of the worst attacks he has seen in his entire career.

Mr Stanislaus, 44, sustained 56 knife wounds during a frenzied assault on the evening of September 5, 2023.

He was left to die under a disused railway bridge in Bowden Lane, High Wycombe, by his killer, 24-year-old Arncott resident Tyrell James.

James was convicted of murder today (March 27) at Reading Crown Court - where he also pleaded guilty over a separate, non-fatal knife attack in 2022.

The defendant is a self-confessed drug dealer, and it is believed that he attacked Mr Stanislaus over a drug-related dispute.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin - who led the investigation into the killing - has released a lengthy statement.

He said: "Tyrell James is an extremely violent individual, who has killed an innocent man in Mr Stanislaus and inflicted serious knife injuries to another victim some months earlier.

"In respect of Mr Stanislaus' murder, our investigation linked James to the scene of this vicious attack, and he was arrested on September 9.

"Throughout his police interviews, he answered 'no comment' to all questions put to him, but provided a written statement in which he denied any involvement in the attack.

"However, after a meticulous investigation, James accepted he had little choice but to admit killing Mr Stanislaus. He admitted causing the injuries, but claimed they were in self-defence."

DCI Brangwin admitted that the murder was one of the worst he has seen in his entire career.

The victim was stabbed in the heart and lungs - and chilling audio from a nearby CCTV camera picked up the sounds of him begging for his life.

The investigator said: "The frenzied and ferocious nature of this attack on Mr Stanislaus is without a doubt one of the worst attacks I have ever seen, and there can be little doubt that James intended to kill him that night. The injuries sustained by Mr Stanislaus were unsurvivable.

"It was a shocking attack, and I am grateful to the jury for their deliberations, and for finding this dangerous man guilty of this offence."

The investigator also commended the victim's loved ones, saying: "I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute and to thank the family of Mr Stanislaus.

"They have had to endure several months of anguish while we investigated this murder.

"I am humbled by their patience and dignity throughout this process.

"No family should have to go through what they have been through, and I hope that, now we have brought Mr Stanislaus’s killer to justice, this will offer them at least some comfort, in the knowledge that he will be behind bars for many years to come.

"Sadly, James chose a course of action that night which was violent in the extreme. An innocent man has lost his life to this evil act, and he will be in prison for many years to come."