Man, 66, charged with murder after 'targeted' shooting of father and son in quiet Cambridgeshire villages
31 March 2023, 13:21 | Updated: 31 March 2023, 20:35
A 66-year-old man has been charged with murder after a "targeted" double shooting of a father and son.
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Stephen Alderton, of no fixed abode, has been charged with two counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm and is due to appear at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on April 1.
A 27-year-old man and woman, 33, were released from police custody earlier on Friday with no further action taken.
It follows the shootings of father and son Gary and Joshua Dunmor. The pair were killed in two separate attacks in different villages in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday amid a custody battle.
Officers were called to reports of gunshots in Meridian Close, Bluntisham just after 9pm, then to reports of gunshots in Sutton at 9.37pm.
A 32-year-old man was found dead inside an address in Bluntisham, and a 57-year-old man was found dead inside an address in Sutton.
Cambridgeshire Police said there was a "domestic element" to the killings, sharing concerns of a "targeted attack".
The three suspects were initially arrested in the early hours of Thursday after a stinger operation on a white Peugeot 208 involving two police forces. Officers also recovered a shotgun.
Police are checking if the firearm was legally owned.
Chief Superintendent Jon Hutchinson previously said: "At this stage we're not looking for any further people in relation to the incident.
"Once we had identified that family relationship, it became quite apparent why this attack may have happened and this is clearly a targeted and isolated attack."
He added: "A line of inquiry that we're focusing on is that those people who are in custody are known to the deceased and have had recent contact with them."
Mr Dunmore had recently succeeded in blocking his former partner from taking his son to the US, according to MailOnline.
He was "buzzing" to have been given the good news and spend time with his son over the Easter holidays, friends said.
A floral tribute to Gary Dunmore, left outside his home in The Row, Sutton, said: "To my dear neighbour Gary.
"A man who loved his family dearly, a dear friend to all, so helpful and kind and was always around as a friend and my little odd job man.
"I'm going to miss you."
A further tribute said: "RIP Gary. Absolutely gutted."
Read More: Three arrested after two men shot dead in 'targeted attacks' in quiet Cambridgeshire villages
A floral tribute left to Josh Dunmore in Bluntisham said: "So sad a young life to be taken like this and a little boy now with no daddy.
"Thinking of the family. RIP Josh X."
Another tribute said: "We have no words for such tragedy in our quiet village.
"Our prayers are with all involved. Rest in eternal peace."
Residents in Bluntisham were initially ordered to stay indoors by police as a helicopter circled overhead.
Uniformed officers remained on duty outside both addresses on Friday morning and post-mortem examinations will take place in coming days.
Anyone with information has been urged to call police on 101, quoting Operation Scan.
