Tobyn Salvatore admits stabbing grandparents to death on Boxing Day in Livingston, West Lothian

A teenager has admitted stabbing his grandparents to death on Boxing Day.

Tobyn Salvatore attacked Denis and Mary Fell with a knife in their home in Livingston, West Lothian, on December 26, 2021.

He was originally due to stand trial for two counts of murder, but pled guilty on Wednesday to lesser charges of culpable homicide due to diminished responsibility.

The 21-year-old said he heard a voice in his head telling him to kill his grandmother and grandfather.

He later told psychiatrists he attributed the voice to the “Woman in Black” – a character from a horror film.

He told doctors that he believed his grandparents would be returned to life, claiming that a quote from the Bible that “all of your dead loved ones will be resurrected” had been in his mind at the time.

The High Court at Livingston was told that Salvatore bought two knives over the internet two months before the incident.

He used the blades to injure his grandparents after they had a row over a Christmas hamper he had taken up to his room.

Mrs Fell’s hand was severed as she tried to defend herself. Mr Fell suffered fatal stab wounds after he tried to take the knife from his grandson.

The two 73-year-olds died from wounds to their necks.

Salvatore later confessed the murders to officers at a local police station.

Police officers who forced entry to the couple’s home found Mr Fell’s body lying in the hallway – his wife was found lying in the living room.

Salvatore legally changed his name from Jay Fell in 2016.

Donald Findlay KC, defending, said a psychiatrist who examined him had been “very clearly of the view that this was undoubtedly a case of diminished responsibility”.

Judge Lord Young imposed an interim compulsion order confining Salvatore to the State Hospital while a further psychiatric report is prepared pending a sentencing hearing in Edinburgh on September 21.

He told the accused: “You have pleaded guilty to the culpable homicide of your grandparents who appear to have provided you with a loving caring home.

“The Crown have accepted that your mental state at the time was such that you acted with diminished responsibility.

“It’s apparent that your treatment is at an early stage. It is continuing and I need to obtain further evidence from the treating psychiatrist and mental health officer before I can decide on disposal.”