CO ANTRIM businessman and Ulster Unionist Party member Geoff Kerr may have died when an attempted robbery at his house turned into a murder.
The 60-year-old father of four died when gunmen, disguised as take-away food delivery staff, came to his home in Templepatrick on Monday night and subsequently shot him in the chest.
Police believe they were planning to rob Mr Kerr but shot him dead in a scuffle inside the house in the quiet village where he lived with his wife Sally and their youngest son.
Det Chief Insp Jonathan Roberts, the man leading the murder hunt, said: “There must be people out there who know who carried out this terrible crime – please come forward and contact police.” He said there had been much speculation and unfounded rumour about what could have been behind the killing.
Mrs Kerr, accompanied by her eldest son, Richard, and by senior PSNI officers, told a news conference yesterday: “I am here on Geoff’s behalf to let you know my husband was the best, the best husband that I could ever have hoped to have had as my partner in life.
“I want to ask people to come forward with any information, any information at all, about who did this or could have done this.
“I don’t know why they did it and at this point in time I am not really sure that is the most important thing. My sons and I are going through the worst possible experience that we will ever have. Without them I don’t think I should get through with it.
“The best thing Geoff ever gave me was our four sons and I am so proud of them. For his sake I want the people to be found and for some sort of justice. He was a good man and he didn’t deserve it.”
Det Chief Insp Roberts said: “Our main line of investigation is that this was an incident that began as a robbery and ended as a murder.
“If you know anything about these people, or have any suspicions about who was involved, please contact police.
“We need to catch the people who are responsible for the murder of Geoffrey Kerr, we need to find justice for Geoffrey, his wife, his family and the wider community.”