Duncan Zammit was “in the prime of his life” when he was stabbed while asleep with his wife and newborn twins, his distressed family said yesterday.

If we know why . . . it would make a difference. Nothing makes sense

Mr Zammit’s marriage to his “soulmate” Claire Xuereb was “made in heaven”. They had Millie and Jack three months ago, his business was thriving and he still found time to help his family, in particular his ill father, whom he was so attached to, his family said. His “last feast” was his children’s baptism three weeks ago.

“We will never have a happy New Year. It will always be the anniversary of his death!”

On the night of the mysterious and macabre dual fatal stabbing – Nicholas Gera, 26, also died of knife wounds – Mr Zammit, 32, had celebrated New Year’s Eve in his Sliema penthouse with his parents and in-laws.

It was probably the only time he had stayed in on such an occasion, due to the recent birth of his children, and, ironically, he had to die in the safety of his bed.

The doting son, father and husband drove his parents home in Sliema at about 1 a.m.

“I wished him a happy New Year. He kissed me goodnight and said: ‘Bless you. See you tomorrow.’ But tomorrow never came,” said his distraught mother.

They were the “perfect family”, his brothers, their wives and his sister concurred as his mother leafed through a book of photographs of the babies he had compiled and given her at Christmas. In pain, she pointed out the “proud father” and the similarities between him and his daughter.

Mr Zammit had been working from home since his twins were born, as was his wife, who is chairman of the Institute of Tourism Studies and runs The Palace Hotel in High Street, just by their apartment in Falcon House.

He was a hands-on daddy – “our model”, they said. “He loved his family and he showed it to the end. Even though he was stabbed, he still got his aggressor down.”

Had Mr Gera turned up 30 minutes later, Mr Zammit was likely to have been up feeding his children as he normally did at that time. He would have found him with a baby on his arm.

“I could have had eight grandchildren instead of 10,” said his mother.

Mr Zammit also took care of his parents, especially his father, with whom he had a special bond.

A year before he was born, his dad had had a near-fatal car accident, which left him “out of it”.

Doctors had recommended having more children and the birth of Mr Zammit a year later resulted in the daily progress of the father’s health. He had to stop working at sea so the two spent lots of time together.

“He never left Duncan’s side and Duncan never left his,” his three older siblings said.

Mr Zammit was “the baby” of the family and his relationship with his parents was even closer because he lived nearby and was most available.

His mother yesterday descended the stairs of her St Anthony Street, Sliema house, calling out that her youngest was “our hero”.

The rest of the family shared her sentiments, theorising that had Mr Zammit not acted the way he did, Mr Gera could have proceeded to kill his wife and babies. He saved his wife and children because he was “no coward”.

“He fought back because he is the hero of the family . . . Even though he was wounded, he still fought him,” they said, trying to piece together the appalling puzzle.

They cannot understand how the intruder did not have a mask, gloves or a weapon and they cannot understand the motive. “We do not know what possessed him to do such an evil thing.”

They have so many unanswered questions. “We want to know what triggered it and why on that day. We need to know if the aggressor was drunk or crazy.”

They believe the two did not know each other.

“We want to know what was going through his head and what state he was in,” they said of the orphaned Bosnian, who was adopted about 15 years ago when he was 11.

“It could be a question of Duncan being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“If we know why, even if they hated each other, or if he was under the influence of alcohol, it would make a difference. Nothing makes sense.”

The siblings described their brother as “colourful fireworks” that lighted up the room. He was positive, good-hearted, would go out of his way for everyone and had remained down to earth.

When they were asked to identify the body yesterday, they said they were told it looked like the aggressor went for Mr Zammit in a frenzied anger.

“But Duncan was so friendly. If he had something to say to someone, he would get straight to the point and that was that!”

Mr Zammit was not a fighter but he was fit. He had “grown a family pack – the sign of a happily married man” – but had lost weight, one of his New Year’s resolutions. Nevertheless, he was shorter than his assailant.

Mr Zammit worked in catering, had opened restaurants and was a top chef, his family said. Hence the knives on the kitchen table, one of which was, ironically, used to kill him.

His mother yesterday pointed to trays in the hallway, which her son had brought with food for a family reunion on Boxing Day. “He was supposed to take them back but he never made it,” she trailed off.

Normally, the gathering and exchange of presents is held at their home after the New Year because Mr Zammit and his wife are usually busy over Christmas.

This year, it was held before because they were freer. Otherwise, they would not have got to celebrate together.

“My heart has four chambers and one is dead. I have to try and keep the others alive,” his mother said.

She is praying for Mr Gera. “I will forgive him. I have to find peace,” she said in tears at the foot of the stairs.