Blair Dalton murder: Children not yet told killer father is dead

HE strangled his ex to death and then took his own life in jail by choking on a chicken sandwich.

Four children have been left without a father after the prison suicide of accused strangler Lance Pearce.

A MAN accused of strangling a woman to death before he choked in jail on a chicken sandwich “didn’t intend for any of this”, his ex-partner says.

Two of Lance Pearce’s closest relatives have also paid tribute to him, saying he was a man they looked up to and loved, despite the horrific strangling attack on Blair Dalton, another former partner.

Pearce was in custody at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Sydney’s west after being charged with the attempted murder of Ms Dalton, 35, on Tuesday night.

It’s believed 34-year-old Pearce took his own life by swallowing a plastic-wrapped chicken sandwich and other items, possibly sugar sachets. His death is not considered suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner.

Pearce has four children — a young son with Ms Dalton and three children with childhood sweetheart Donna Welsh. Ms Welsh is convinced the father of her three children wouldn’t have wanted things to end the way they did.

Blair Dalton was strangled by her ex-partner Lance Pearce.

Blair Dalton's family are devastated by her death.

“I don’t understand how it got to this point, but someway I will. I know you didn’t intend for any of this and Blair didn’t deserve to lose her life either,” she wrote on Facebook.

He was initially charged with suffocating Ms Dalton but after she died in hospital last Thursday, police said they would upgrade Pearce’s charges to murder.

Ms Welsh said she was torn between being confused and angry by the two deaths and the long-lasting damage it was going to leave on their children, family and friends.

“But I can still feel the pain, sorrow and heartache you must have been going through to leave all 4 innocent souls behind. You can now rest your head and watch over us all from above! Soar like an eagle and let your spirit be free. We will always love you LP xoxo,” she wrote.

Ms Welsh was also very close to Ms Dalton, whose children called her “step-mamma”.

“I don’t know how I’m going to cope with the heartache our children will go through from the loss of you and Blair.”

After Ms Dalton’s death Ms Welsh said she was “shell shocked”.

“Words can’t describe the heartache and confusion in processing this horrific and incomprehensible feeling we are all feeling right now,” she wrote, adding her young son was now without his “rock, his hero, his mother, his absolute everything”.

Pearce, 34, died in jail after choking to death.

Ms Dalton died three days after the attack.

She revealed her relationship with Pearce became strained towards the end of his life — and she hadn’t yet sat down and told the children their father and Ms Dalton were dead.

Pearce’s family have also spoken publicly for the first time, with his nephew saying he was a “man I looked up to” and his niece telling him she would love him regardless of his horrific crime.

“A man that taught me many things a man that I looked up too a man that always help me when I needed it [sic], I will miss you and will not forget you, I love you lance,” the nephew wrote.

His sister added: “Lance you have been the best uncle and I’m going to miss sharing a birthday with you every year, I love you even after everything and I honestly can’t believe any of this had happened, im going to miss you so much.

“I can’t believe how much my life has changed in a week, I love you guys so much and I always will xxx.”

She added: “Blair I am going to miss you so damn much, I love you so much and I can’t believe your gone, I won’t be able to come visit when I miss you or when I’m feeling sad and need someone to talk to, you have been there for me and I’ll never forget you.”

After Pearce was served breakfast on Friday morning, prison officers went to check on him, who was on suicide watch, in his cell about 11am. He was found unresponsive on his bed.

Meanwhile, a gofundme page set up to raise money for Ms Dalton’s family has almost raised $30,000. “Blair was the most beautiful, kind, caring, proud person and she most certainly got that from her family. I’m wanting to help take some of the financial burden off them at this time,” the post said.

Pearce was going to have his charge upgraded to murder.

When Pearce appeared in court last week on the attempted murder charge he could be heard saying “no, no” and “is she all right, she has to be all right?”

News.com.au has been told by a friend of Ms Dalton that she returned home to the Central Coast to escape her violent relationship with Pearce.

“She had a great life there and was loved by so many,” the friend said.

Ms Dalton’s parents donated her organs after they made the agonising decision to turn off her life support.

“Our beautiful Blair who is always helping others will today continue on this path when the transplanting of her organs begin. RIP our best friend,” her father Robert Dalton’s post read.

— with The Sunday Telegraph