The victims of the double Sliema homicide did not know each other and mobile phone and e-mail records analysed by the police have turned up no connection, according to entrepreneur Angelo Xuereb.

I was shocked when my daughter phoned... to tell me that a man with knives had attacked them

Mr Xuereb, the father-in-law of stabbing victim Duncan Zammit, said the families were “very confused” as to what might have led to this tragically sad situation.

He ruled out that Nicholas Gera, the other stabbing victim, was ever employed with any of his companies. There were no legal issues either between the two victims.

“To me, Duncan was a hero for his family because he defended them from an aggressor,” Mr Xuereb said, noting that since the birth of their twins, both parents had taken parental leave to work from home and spend time with the children.

On New Year’s Eve Mr Xuereb’s family and that of his son-in-law attended a small party at Mr Zammit and his daughter Claire Zammit Xuereb’s apartment.

Mr Xuereb and his wife left at around 1 a.m. and Mr Zammit left with them to drive his parents back home in Sliema.

Mr Zammit must have returned home very soon afterwards, he added, since his parents live in the Tigné area, not far from the apartment.

“I was shocked when my daughter phoned me at around 6.30 a.m. to tell me that a man with knives had attacked them and there was blood all around. She phoned emergency but it was too late.”

Mr Xuereb said he advised his daughter to remove all the knives because Mr Gera, who was also bleeding, was still alive at the time.

“I immediately phoned for an ambulance but was informed that one had already been sent – Claire must have already called for help. We cannot believe what has happened,” he said.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com

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