WATCH: Killer caught on CCTV laughing with friend before stabbing him
A killer and the friend he murdered were captured on film laughing together shortly before he stabbed him to death with a large 'Rambo'-style knife.
Sean Bulle stabbed Paulius Petrasiunas, 25, outside a flat in Chervill Rise, Heath Town, after becoming irritated with him following a drug deal.
The 21-year-old, nicknamed 'Switch', had been armed with a concealed hunting knife before using it to kill Mr Petrasiunas on July 13 last year at about 5.20pm.
He was convicted of murder on Thursday.
West Midlands Police has now released CCTV footage from the day of the stabbing which shows how events unfolded.
Bulle was captured on film laughing and joking with father-of-one Mr Petrasiunas before knifing his victim, also known as Paulo and Polo, in the hallway of a block of flats.
Bulle was quickly identified as the prime suspect by the detectives who launched a manhunt in a bid to catch him.
Two days later he was traced to an address in Shrewsbury and a man bag next to him was found to contain the victim's blood clearly linking him to the scene of the crime.
Footage from security cameras in the vicinity showed Bulle's movements soon after the stabbing, including him leaving the scene with what appeared to be the large hunting knife in his hand and then hidden in his jogging bottoms. He was spotted calmly walking through the streets despite his actions.
Officers spent months viewing hundreds of hours of footage and as a result were able to pinpoint a piece of land where it could have been dumped. They eventually found the murder weapon last December hidden in a pile of rubbish between a fence and wall. Forensic analysis showed it contained the victim's blood.
Bulle, who had already been charged with murder, at first claimed he had suffered an epileptic fit and someone else had stabbed his friend, originally from Lithuania. But as evidence mounted he changed his story and said he had been sparring with the victim with knives. He said he then had a blackout and couldn't remember what happened.
But the jury at did not believe him and after a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court they found him guilty of murder.
Detective Sergeant Damian Forrest, of the West Midlands Police homicide unit, said: "This was the senseless killing of a young man. Bulle seemed to have become annoyed about a phone call Paulius had taken and then lashed out with the hunting knife.
"It left Paulius with serious chest injuries and he died within seconds. Sadly the aftermath of this attack was witnessed by the partner of Paulius and his close friends, who all bravely gave evidence at the trial.
"Despite what he'd done Bulle was captured calmly walking away and then fled the area. He was quickly identified as the prime suspect and through intelligence which came in following our appeal to locate him he was arrested within two days of the attack.
"He provided different accounts to what he claimed happened but through the diligence of our staff we reviewed a large haul of CCTV and collated strong evidence.
"This helped create a clearer picture of what went on and our determination was rewarded when we were able to find the murder weapon.
"Bulle has now rightly been convicted of murder and will face many years behind bars."
Bulle, who grew up in Zimbabwe, will be sentenced in the new year and has been warned by Judge Paul Glenn to expect a minimum life term in jail.
