These are the first pictures of a British dad-of-two who was murdered in bed at his dream home in the Caribbean.
Stephen Halliday, 64, was hacked to death with a machete – suffering fatal head and neck wounds – in the Dominican Republic on September 6.
The retired estate agent, originally from Maidenhead, Berkshire, was killed at the home he was nearly finished building in the resort town of Las Terrenas.
Mr Halliday’s devastated family have launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a legal fund to fight for justice on his behalf after three men were arrested.
His son Geoff Halliday, who lives in Los Angeles, set up the GoFundMe page to pay for a legal team, bereavement counselling and other costs.
It has raised more than £15,000 so far.
Mr Halliday’s grief-stricken widow Angela said: “My sweet, sweet husband, totally dedicated and unconditional father was robbed from our lives in a senseless and torturous way that he never deserved.
"I will not give up in having him honoured in the way he merits, by making certain that these predators never see the light of day and that my husband’s legacy will become not this horrific act but something greater as was he.”
The family have previously told how Mr Halliday was attacked in bed while he was home alone at night, and the suspects were arrested after the Hallidays played CCTV footage from inside the house for police.
One of the suspects is said to be a 17-year-old neighbour who Mr Halliday had rowed with just weeks earlier over an alleged theft of generator batteries.
His devastated son Geoff Halliday wrote on the fundraising page: "My father was murdered, on September 6th, 2018, leaving our family completely devastated, shattered and bewildered.
"We are desperately seeking help in establishing a legal fund to fight for justice for my father and rebuilding a life for my mother.
“Anybody who knew him is already aware of the joyfulness and love he demonstrated and the life he lived in service of our family.
"He worshipped my mother completely and showered her with a level of affection I could never fathom.
"Now it all feels like he was just getting in as much as possible before being unfairly ripped from our lives.
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“My mother didn’t just lose her soulmate, husband, best friend and life companion.
"She lost the dream home my father had almost completed in the process.
"One that she can no longer even bear to look at or live in and is facing the prospect of spending the rest of what she is left with on attorneys and psychological treatment.
"As a son, I cannot accept that and that is why I am pleading for any and all help."
He added: “For starters we are planning to use the funds for our legal assistance in the Dominican Republic. Sadly, the system there is still extremely corrupt and without proper private representation we worry that we will never see any semblance of justice for my father.
“Additionally, the costs of maintaining the home she can no longer live in as well as transitioning what belongings she may still want back to the US.
"We only hope that in due time somebody would want to purchase the home although we worry at how long it may sit idle. We’ve also just begun grief counselling which has come at quite some cost.”
For more details click here to visit the GoFundMe page.
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