Killers

Murder 24/7 returns tonight with another harrowing episode as detectives race against the clock for justice

Chilling video footage recovered from a killer’s phone has been exposed, showing a violent spree across “two days of torture”.

Murder 24/7 has returned this week with a harrowing two-part special titled Natural Born Killer. Returning for its third series earlier this month, the true crime documentary takes viewers right into the heart of murder investigations across the UK.

Following West Mercia Police, the show, which sees detectives racing against the clock to ensure justice is done, has been dubbed better than Channel 4’s 24 Hours in Police Custody.

Last night (August 4), viewers were horrified after a harrowing episode delved into the murder of 54-year-old Jamie Gawler who was brutally killed and found by officers dead in an armchair with a towel thrown over his head.

Tonight (August 5), the second episode will air at 9pm on BBC One, as detectives continue their investigation into suspect Matthew Jonathan. A synopsis reads: “In Hereford, detectives continue to build their case against Matthew Jonathan for the murder of 54-year-old Jamie Gawler.

“The suspect maintains a ‘no comment’ stance in interviews, so the team is relying on digital and physical forensics to piece together the final days of Jamie’s life.”

It adds: “A critical forensic breakthrough comes when analysts match an incomplete, bloody footprint from the scene to Jonathan’s rare boots via a national database. Soon after, investigators recover a series of phone videos that reveal the true extent of the assault.”

In the episode, officers can be seen analysing a mobile phone recovered, believed to be Matthew’s, before discovering harrowing video footage on it which appears to show him assaulting Jamie.

The clips were played out as detectives watched on in horror. In the video footage, Matthew can be heard laughing and saying: “Don’t give me that broken face b******.”

He later instructs his victim: “Lift your head up,” before levelling abuse at him. He then adds: “I’ll do 30 years for this, I don’t care.”

The episode then sees officers showing Matthew the footage as one detective can be heard saying: “This is now two days into what I would describe as torture.”

Matthew Jonathan was eventually charged with murder as the episode explains three months later, he pleaded guilty to the charge. At sentencing, Matthew received a life sentence with a minimum of 32 years.

With all episodes available to stream on BBC iPlayer, viewers were horrified after watching the latest instalments this week. Taking to TikTok, one true crime fan admitted their “jaw was on the floor watching this show.”

In the video, they added: “Wow. Absolutely brutal…. I couldn’t believe them episodes, they were brutal.” Another replied: “I love watching this programme but those two were brutal.”

Murder 24/7 can be streamed on BBC iPlayer

In a separate statement, Lissie Harper, PC Harper’s widow, said it was “disgusting” that his killers could be eligible for early release.

She said she was “beyond appalled and bristling with anger to hear that Andrew’s killers are soon to be free to roam the streets”.

Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Jason Hogg said the decision not to exclude them was “demoralising for all police officers”.

The Sentencing Act was amended in January, with the eligibility for early release based on the length of fixed sentence, rather than the type of offence.

The act already excluded some of the most serious and dangerous offenders, such as murderers serving life sentences or those on extended sentences.

But last month, Burnham paused the plans after backlash from survivors. The scheme will now restart in October.

Announcing the changes on Monday, he said: “I fully understand the anger, anxiety and distress that’s been caused. I’ve heard that loud and clear.”

Under the revised plans, rape and child sexual offences will now also be excluded from early release.

The government also announced an extra £10 million will go to front-line victim support services, including a new national helpline.

This move does not require changes to the existing legislation before October, the government said, though it may make amendments in the future to exclude certain offenders from being released.

Offenders of other crimes serving longer sentences of four years or more will be eligible for release halfway through their sentences rather than two-thirds as had previously been the case.

Those serving less serious sentences could be freed after a third of their time, rather than half.

The changes are due to be phased in, beginning with prisoners serving sentences of less than 575 days, going up to inmates jailed for 12 years or more being eligible for early release in June 2027.

The “presumption” will be that offenders are tagged and will face longer periods of supervision and tough new rules including “restriction zones”, Burnham said.

The number of individuals released each time will depend on the make-up of the prison population, which the government says will evolve between now and implementation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the gang ⁠had also been classified as a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’.

The US⁠ State Department has designated the Ecuadorean gang Chone Killers as a foreign “terrorist organisation”, imposing sanctions on a crime ⁠group that Washington has accused of carrying out attacks on civilians and public officials.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the gang ⁠has also been classified as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”.

“Chone Killers has committed numerous attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement officers and government officials, including high-profile assassinations of public officials,” Rubio said in a statement announcing the designations.

The move against the Ecuadorian street gang ‌is part of a broader campaign by US President Donald Trump’s administration on organised crime and drug trafficking in Latin America.

The Trump administration has designated several other Latin American gangs and drug cartels as “terrorist” organisations, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and the Mexican Sinaloa cartel.

“The Trump administration, in ⁠partnership with Ecuador and President Daniel Noboa, will continue to protect our hemisphere by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding ⁠violent narcoterrorists,” Rubio said.

Rubio also alleged that Ecuadorean gangs help Mexican cartels transport and export illegal drugs, ⁠which he said fund “terrorism” and other ⁠criminal activity.

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the US decision, saying it reflected Washington’s strong support for Noboa’s campaign against criminal organisations.

“The Government of Ecuador thanks ‌the firm support of the United States for the decision by President Daniel Noboa to maintain an all-out fight against ‌criminal ‌organisations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.

Noboa, a staunch ally of Trump, has imposed curfews and deployed the military to several provinces in a US-backed crackdown aimed at stamping out gang activity.