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Father of murder victim speaks for the first time.

Dec 23, 2016 | 7:23 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — For most people the holidays are a time to reconnect and be with family.

But for Clayton Hewer, a major part of his family won’t be here for Christmas.

Hewer’s son Dustin was killed early in November, and his death came at a time when his father says he was finally getting his son back.

“That’s all I have left of my son…..how can I hug that?” said the grief stricken father as he held a chain of Dustin’s Thursday afternoon. The pain of losing his son is still raw for Hewer, who moved to Medicine Hat two years ago to be closer to Dustin after the two were estranged for a few years following a divorce. Now in the wake of Dustin’s death, the father is left grappling with unimaginable anguish.

“There isn’t a day that goes by I don’t think of my son,” says Hewer. “Everyday I look out the window hoping, wishing, thinking of all the things we were going to do.”

Hewer says all he has now are the memories he and Dustin created together, which includes the last time they ever saw each other.

“Him and Darrel (his brother) they had a quick game and he (Dustin) says ‘Well I gotta go Dad girlfriend’s getting off work I gotta go pick up the kids’. We give each other a hug and told each other that we loved each other and I was expecting to see him a week later……but that week will never come.”

 

Instead Dustin was killed in the early morning hours of November 5. Police have arrested and charged two men with second degree murder in connection with his death, and his father has only one question for the alleged killers.

“I wanna ask them why…..why they had to kill him,” he said.

Hewer is hoping for answers if the case goes to trial, but he also wants any judge that may preside over the matter in the future to hear his message.

“From what I hear they stabbed him more than once, so when you stab someone more than once you are intending to kill them. Especially where they stabbed him. So that’s cold blooded murder in my eyes, and justice is in the judge’s hands.”

Left with only Dustin’s chain, ashes, photos, and the memories of him, Hewer knows the future will not be easy. And he doesn’t believe it’s fair that those charged in Dustin’s death still get to do something he can’t.

“At least you still get to see your parents and your parents get to see you,” says Hewer. “You get hang out time. I don’t get hang out time. I have no time. All my memories, hopes, dreams, they’re all gone.”