A family has spoken of the 'heartbreak and devastation' they have felt since the murder of their loved one in 'such a brutal and callous way'.

Relatives of Richard Chamberlain were at home, oblivious to the fact that the 34-year-old had suffered 17 stab wounds at the hands of Frank Wrona.

Wrona, 44, had killed his housemate in Colne on Easter Sunday (March 31), after wrongly accusing him of stealing money. 

Wrona has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 16 years and 79 days.

Family members wrote a statement on the impact of Richard's murder, which police officers who investigated the case have now released.

The statement on behalf of the family reads: “The 31 of March 2024 and Easter Sunday will always bring deep sadness and a day that changed our lives forever. 

"Few people will ever understand the devastation that two police officers knocking on your door late on a Sunday night brings. 

"The total heartbreak then the haze and numbness that follows can never be adequately described. The taking of Richard in such a brutal and callous way will forever haunt us. He did not deserve this, and we did not deserve to lose our son/brother in this horrific manner.

“We can only imagine the fear and pain that he endured on that fateful day and that is the most terrible thought ever. It will never go away. 

"We frequently question ‘why?’ but sadly nothing can change the events of that that one day, something that has had such an impact on so many lives – family, friends, acquaintances and even past teachers - all shocked and devastated. Imagine the effect that this has had on his 87-year-old nana.

“It is hard to comprehend that we will never see Richard again, never hear his voice and his cheeky little laugh. We will not hear all his witticisms, factual ramblings or see him progress through life, wherever that may have taken him. 

"We will never be able to celebrate his birthday, Christmas or other key events with him. 

"He will never enjoy banter with his brothers or follow his nieces’ progress as they grow up. In a weird way, despite the trauma, life carries on around you, whilst you are in this state of numbness."

Colne murderer jailed for life for killing housemate

The statement adds: "We console ourselves with all the wonderful memories of an extremely bright, thoughtful, artistically talented, caring and very special person who saw the good in everyone. That is how we want Richard to be remembered.

“As a family, the last few months have been extremely difficult. We have had to deal with all that a murder case entails on top of the grief and trauma of losing our son/brother.

"The tears and feelings of anxiety have been profound. The physical toll on our health has been significant for all of us with symptoms of nausea, short-temperedness, lack of drive and the ability to go about everyday tasks. 

“We are hoping that time will reduce the pain and help us to heal both physically and emotionally. Having said that, we are certain that inwardly this tragic loss will never go away and there will always be everyday triggers bringing flashbacks and the deep sorrow that we feel. 

"Richard’s possessions and keepsakes are something that we hope will give us comfort in the future, rather than the raw reminder of events that we are currently experiencing.

“We are lucky that we are a strong family unit and have a good network of extended family and friends to support us. 

"We take each day at a time. The police, victim support and counsellors have all played a key role in getting us through this very difficult period in our lives. Richard was a very special but vulnerable person. 

"He lived with the challenges of autism, specifically Asperges Syndrome but found solace in art, the countryside and animals. His passion was drawing and his dream was to pursue fashion design. 

“We truly believed that, with the right support, this is something he was capable of achieving and had hope of a positive future. He struggled with relationships and was often misunderstood but he should have been respected for who he was and protected from harm. 

“Sadly, his understanding of friendships often meant he could easily be exploited to gain approval. We fought so hard for Richard throughout his life but, regrettably, this is something we couldn’t help him with, and this just adds to the feeling of grief and despair. We will forever wish that things could have been different.

“Finally, our overwhelming wish is that we had been given a chance to say ‘goodbye’. All Richard would have wanted when he sustained his vicious injuries would have been to have us by his side. 

"Family has been incredibly important to him, for many personal reasons, over the years. He loved and cared about us so much, as we did him.

 "Such a tragic and unnecessary waste of a life that we, our family and friends, will have to endure for the rest of our lives.”