Speculation, curiosity ‘ripping apart’ the silence families need – priest at Gera funeral

The concelebrant of Nicholas Gera's funeral mass sent out a call for "silence" in the face of the speculation and curiosity that has gripped the nation over the bizarre New Year's Day double-murder of Gera, 26, and Duncan Zammit, 32.

"Death is a precious moment of reflection; we all must go through it but the trail of emptiness is so strong it can break the bravest of hearts. Face by these realties, silence is more eloquent," Fr Savio Vella told the congregation at a packed St Gregory's parish church, in Sliema.

Former Sliema mayor and Nationalist MP Robert Arrigo was also in attendance, as was the Nationalist party's secretary-general Paul Borg Olivier.

The "shy, reserved" Gera grew up just a street away from the church, on Blanche Huber street, with his four brothers who were adopted by his mother Tanja from Eastern Europe.

As Vella pointed out, the Bosnian-born Gera had experienced in his childhood the ravages of war. "So young and helpless, he experienced loneliness and injustice caused by racial discrimination," Vella said of the Yugoslav wars that tore apart the multi-ethnic state in the early 1990s.

"Amidst all he found love through the heart of Tanja," he said of Gera's mother, who this week expressed her bewilderment at the mere notion that Nicholas - "a sweet, family boy" - could have been involved in an assault with knives.

As the public's speculation fuelled media reports of Gera's motive for entering the Zammits' Falcon House penthouse on High Street, in which he is suspected of having assaulted Zammit in his bed, Fr Savio Vella made an impassioned call for an earnest silence.

"We all need silence, such a precious vital need that is being ripped apart by speculation and curiosity. So many questions surround the death of two young men at the prime of their life. We feel helpless and anger and try and understand what went on. It s a difficult moment for both families."

In an address to the Gera family, Vella encouraged them to find in their love for Nicholas "the reminder for the need of silence".

"In the midst of mystery and injustice of the tragedy, we offer forgiveness and love. For true love gives life to everyone."

Police investigators yesterday returned to the scene of the crime in Falcon House in Sliema in a bid to reconstruct the evidence they collected from the Zammit's wife Claire, the daughter of entrepreneur Anglu Xuereb. According to police sources, Zammit Xuereb claimed that Gera, whom she said she had never known, was allegedly armed with two knives when he attacked her husband in their bedroom.

An autopsy carried out on the two corpses last Monday revealed that Zammit and Gera suffered multiple stab wounds, both to the front of their upper torso and necks.

The main question being posed is why Gera, who on New Year's Eve worked his last shift at a Paceville restaurant, clocked off at 2:30am before allegedly crowning off the night at the Muddy Waters bar in St Julian's, decided to go to Zammits' penthouse. The most startling revelations centre on a possible previous connection between Zammit and Gera.