Murder mother's moving tribute

Roxanne Lawrence said she had been planning to marry Darren Walker, who strangled nine-year-old Stacey, leaving her body in his lorry before hanging himself in nearby woodland.

She had spoken to Walker, a 40-year-old father-of-four, a few hours before their bodies were discovered and they had both seemed "perfectly okay", she said.

Today she told the Express & Star about her 'darling daughter' and the life she had led with Walker, who she believed was a dedicated family man. And she revealed: "I'm trying to be angry with him but I'm finding it really difficult because I loved him.

"Stacey was a really happy little girl and was very popular with lots of friends. I just can't believe she is gone. It shocked all of us because he was such a lovely family guy."

Mrs Lawrence, 38, of Bagnall Street, West Bromwich, said: "He has just shocked everyone, we never dreamed he would do anything like that."

Mrs Lawrence, a voluntary worker, met Walker because her elder daughter Emma Hammond was going out with Walker's nephew at the time. Walker lived with his mother Rosemary in Hickman Road, Bilston. It is believed he used to live in Third Avenue, Low Hill, Wolverhampton.

He had a previous caution for ABH against his estranged wife, but police are now checking with other forces to determine whether he was known to police in other parts of the country.

Stacey, who suffered from arthritis and has spent a lot of time in and out of hospital this year, had gone out with Walker on his delivery run for Spar as a "treat" before she started a new school this week.

She was due to begin in year five of the brand new Eaton Valley School, in Dagger Lane, West Bromwich, next Monday.

Police have seized a family computer, where recent pictures of Stacey were saved.

Mrs Lawrence added: "She used to call him dad. I've been wracking my brains. He never ever went upstairs to her bedroom, he never gave us any reason to even contemplate that he could do something like that.

"He didn't have a temper. I can honestly say I never saw it, he never raised his voice at the children or at me."

Stacey had three siblings, Emma, Hammond, 17, Luke Hammond, 15, and 11-year-old TJ Lawrence. But she had not seen her father Terry Lawrence for five years.

The last time Mrs Lawrence saw her daughter was at 3am on Friday as she kissed her goodbye. She said: "The last thing I said to her was have a good time, I spoke to them a few times during the day. The last time was 8.35pm on Friday, they had watched EastEnders and were getting ready for bed."

Mrs Lawrence then started ringing from 8.30am on Saturday morning. She initially thought he was still asleep but started to worry after phoning the company where he worked just after midday and they said the lorry tracker had not moved since Friday night. She said: "My initial thought was that they had been lorry-jacked, I went over to his mum's because she was in a state, and were ringing round the hospitals and police.

"Next thing I know West Midlands Police phoned and said they were at my front door. Even when they said they had found two bodies I thought somebody had done it to them. The thing that hurts me most is knowing that she was in pain in her final moments."

She added: "Initially I felt guilty, thinking that I shouldn't have let her go but if anything was happening she wouldn't have wanted to go. No one is to blame but him."

Walker picked up the lorry at the depot at Willenhall at 4am on Friday and headed to Norfolk. Police found Stacey's body in his lorry cab which had been parked in a lay-by in Warmington, Northamptonshire, on Saturday. His body was found hanged in nearby woodland.