Stephen Alderton’s callous refusal to answer questions over the murder of father and son Gary, 57, and Joshua Dunmore, 32, will be shown in the second episode of 24 Hours In Police Custody: A Family Vendetta airs on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight
This is the moment a widower who “executed” a father and son remains stony-faced as he is confronted with chilling details of the double murder.
Stephen Alderton, 67, blasted his daughter’s ex-partner Josh Dunmore, 32, and his 57-year-old dad Gary with a Beretta shotgun after a bitter custody battle over Alderton’s grandson. Police footage following his arrest – shared with the Mirror – is revealed in a new episode of Channel 4’s hit series 24 Hours In Police Custody being aired tonight.
In never-before-seen interviews, detectives quiz murderer Alderton over the callous moment he coolly fired two rounds from his shotgun into Gary’s body, before emptying the cartridges, reloading and firing again. Detectives ask: “We know there were four gunshots at Gary’s house. We know, from the gunshot spray that one has been fired into the staircase in the property.” But Alderton replies: “No comment.”
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The detective continues: “He appears to have been shot twice to the body – the chest – and once in the head. Would you agree that that shows an element of perseverance and intent?” Without showing a flicker of emotion, Alderton replies: “No comment.” He is then asked: “How many times did you have to load your shotgun for a double-barrelled over-under gun, to be able to fire six shots?”
But again Alderton simply says: “No comment.” The detective then says: “So to load it, bang, bang, empty your cartridges, reload, bang, bang, break the shotgun, empty the cartridges, reload, bang, bang.”
Alderton’s two victims were found dead in March 2023 at their homes – six miles apart in Cambridgeshire – just two days after a family court hearing over his seven-year-old grandson. Following his arrest Alderton told police: “Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, even if it’s wrong in the eyes of the law.”
The ex-chartered surveyor, who admitted double murder, was jailed for life at Cambridge crown court and must serve a minimum 25 years. Last year the sentence was increased to 30 years after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
After being arrested Alderton initially refused to answer questions and only showed a shred of emotion when quizzed about his grandson. When asked by the custody sergeant how he was feeling as he was booked in, Alderton replied: “It’s not exactly the best day.”
During his interview, a a detective asked Alderton: “Do you think what you did was justified?” He replies: “No comment.” The detective continues: “How do you think your grandson is going to feel about the death of his father and his other grandad? Talk to me about your grandson, are you close?” Alderton replies: “Yes.” The detective says: “He’s lost his dad, he’s lost his paternal grandfather, and it’s looking like he’s not going to see his maternal grandfather for quite some time.” Seeming to breakdown, Alderton says: “No comment.”
Later he told the Channel 4 cameras: “Down in Texas, they have a particular approach that you have to respect because ion red-kneck country they have guns and things like that.” After his arrest, he was also recorded saying: “I come from a world where you look after your family.”
Alderton’s rampage on March 29 2023 came two days after a family court hearing involving his grandson, who cannot be named. Josh had stopped his ex – Alderton’s daughter – Samantha Stephen, and her US airman husband, Paul, taking the seven-year-old to live in America.
Alderton shot Josh twice in the hallway of his home in Bluntisham at 9.09pm. Thirty-one minutes later, he shot Gary three times in the hallway of his Sutton home, six miles away. The killer fled in his motorhome but was arrested the following day on the M5 near Worcester.
Before the killing, he wrote a series of text messages saying he would “override any court decision” and that there was “always a plan B” following the custody row. After Alderton was arrested, he told police that “sometimes you have to do what you have to do even if it’s wrong in the eyes of the law”, prosecutor Peter Gair told Cambridge crown court. Judge Mark Bishop said the killings amounted to “an execution”.
The second episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody: A Family Vendetta airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4
