THE former flat-mate of murder victim David Ward today revealed how the hospital boss had befriended his killers and said: "I now want them to die too."

In an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Travis Dehorney Jr spoke about his relationship with East Lancashire born Mr Ward, who was found strangled and tied up with wire in his Texas home.

Talking from his San Francisco apartment, Mr Dehorney, 32, who himself was quizzed about the killing, said: "David had been helping out the two men who killed him. They took away his life and I believe they should pay with their lives."

Mr Ward, 43, was due to fly home to visit his parents in Feniscowles, Blackburn, the day before he was killed at his house in Fort Worth.

When he failed to arrive, his worried family contacted Dallas police, who later made the grim discovery.

Mr Dehorney, who faces an unrelated charge of assault on Mr Ward, said today: "David was a kind, warm, gentle and very loving man.

"We were together for many years and I visited his family in Blackburn a couple of years ago when we went to England.

"I was so shocked when I was told about the murder. The two men who have been charged were known to me and David.

"In fact, David had been helping them out with food because they had no money and had been helping one of the men get over his broken relationship with a girlfriend. "He was so kind to them and this is how they chose to repay him. They are now facing life in prison or the death penalty.

"I truly believe they should get a lethal injection. It's got to be a life for a life."

Mr Dehorney, a singer who has recorded several TV commercials in America, said he had met Mr Ward through a mutual friend.

He added: "I had a major cocaine problem and David helped me get off it. We did have a very rocky relationship but I am so glad we made our peace before he died.

"The world has lost a brilliant, smart and extremely talented guy and I have a lost a very dear friend."

Murder squad detective Mike Carol, who led the investigation, said one of the men charged with capital murder, Aaran Foust, had already admitted the killing and his accomplice, Jarmal Brown, said he witnessed it.

And Detective Carol said a trial date was expected to be set within a couple of weeks.

He said: "A judge will sit before a grand jury next week and I'm expecting a trial date in a fortnight.

"Usually trials can take a year or two years to happen but I believe this one will be heard within a couple of months because there is lot of strong feeling about it.

"The motive for the killing was robbery. There is more to the case but I cannot say at the moment because I need to protect a witness. But it will come out at the trial."

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