“They just loved their kids. They died because they cared. What gives that man right, just because he wasn’t getting his own way, to go and murder two people?”
Those were the poignant words of the mother and grandmother of Gary and Joshua Dunmore, who were shot dead by Stephen Alderton at their homes in The Row, Sutton, and Meridian Close, Bluntisham, over a bitter custody battle.
Speaking during the concluding episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody's two-part special 'A Family Vendetta', which focused on the shocking texts that led to the killings, Jane said that receiving the devastating call on March 29 in 2023 was "the worst day in my life".
In the emotional episode, Mandy, Joshua's mum and Gary's ex-partner, also paid poignant tributes to them.
She said: "Joshua was a great dad and loved him dearly. Every day was an adventure. Just doing everything together."
She also described Gary as an “amazing granddad”, describing the pair as “a great team”.
She added that, after the judge ruled her grandson was to stay in the UK and not go to America, it felt like "the emotional rollercoaster had finally come to an end".
Reflecting on Alderton's actions, she said: “I feel he shot Joshua for Sam, and shot Gary for himself, because Gary was everything he wasn’t."
Earlier in the episode, CCTV was shown of Alderton arriving at Gary's home. Seconds later, the sound of gunshots rang out.
However, when asked why he had no emotion when watching the “chilling” footage, he still replied “no comment”.
During the same police interview, Detective Superintendent Mark Dollard said: “These were two executions – Joshua and Gary opened the door and got blown away. And then they got their heads taken off.”
Ring doorbell footage also showed Alderton driving between the two homes, with Detective Constable Claire Atkinson saying that Gary was "completely oblivious to the fact that his killer has literally just driven past him”.
Ring footage was also shown of Joshua arriving home and greeting his son at the door: "He appears to be such a loving father and it’s so tragic it’s ended this way,” DC Atkinson added.
Later, during a police interview, Alderton was asked about the impact on his grandchildren.
"That was the only time there was a glimmer that he regretted what he had done,” said DS Dollard, who described the killings as "an analytical process.
"He had set out with a task and that was his intention. Stephen went out there to kill Joshua and Gary and he wasn’t going to stop until he had achieved his goal.”
In the episode, officers were also seen visiting one of Alderton's relatives in an attempt to explain the killer's state of mind before the shootings.
"He was an old school guy that would spend most of his life in the pub," said the relative, who described Alderton as "a very intelligent guy, a chartered surveyor and a local councillor".
He also told officers that Alderton’s wife, Yolanda, had passed away, which “took a lot out of him”.
He added: "If he has done it, I can't believe he's done what he's done."
Text messages between Alderton and his daughter, Samantha, were also shown in the episode, including one where he said: "I'd luv him to disappear... he's a controlling madman."
The episode also revealed that Samantha had said in a text referring to Joshua that "the best thing to happen would be an accident on his scaffolding”.
Alderton also referenced "Independence Day" in a text to his daughter and said “I’m sure it won’t be long before I end this fiasco. And it will end.”
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However, in the episode, DCI Dounias made clear that "knowing that something is going to happen is not sufficient to prove that there was an actual agreement to murder Joshua and Gary".
The evidence of conspiracy was reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service who decided it was insufficient to bring charges.
Later, a letter written by Alderton to the judge ahead of his trial was shown and read out.
In it, he said he turned to alcohol after having to look after his wife full-time, and that he “woke up a different person” on the day of the shootings.
However, texts sent to other family members before the killings included "I’ve got a short list of people I intend to murder” and "best renew my shotgun licence".
Alderton, who was said to have shown no emotion at court, admitted two counts of murder in June 2023 and was jailed for life.
Reflecting on the impact that the investigation has had, DCI Katie Dounias, of the Major Crime Unit, said: “This case has been particularly difficult because of the sheer brutality of it and the fact that there is absolutely no sense to what has happened.
“And there’s a child at the centre of this. It's caused absolute devastation."
The programme ended with emotional footage of bikers arriving at Gary and Joshua's funeral.
It also revealed that, having fought for her grandson, Mandy was granted sole custody.
“He’s lost so much, but I just want him to know what a good daddy and grandad he had,” she said.
“To get yourself up every day, before he came to me, was painful.
"It’s always with you. It's never gone. But I’ve got my ray of sunshine - and he is a ray of sunshine.”
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