The father of Nicolas Dill yesterday paid tribute to his son, calling him a quiet, caring person ?liked by everyone?, as Police extended their hunt for the man suspected of viciously stabbing him to death at his family home in Warwick on Boxing Day.

Mr. Dill died at King Edward Memorial Hospital shortly after 11 a.m. on Sunday from multiple stab wounds to his back, chest and head sustained in a violent altercation with a 33-year-old Southampton man who is currently still at large.

The Police Emergency Response Team yesterday continued a wide-ranging search for the suspect, identified by Mr. Dill?s girlfriend, Stacy Ann Pike, 44, who was present at the house in Warwick when the attack took place.

Ms Pike was taken to hospital along with Mr. Dill on Sunday morning and treated for a deep gash in her skull, allegedly sustained from a machete chop to the head as she fought with the attacker.

She was subsequently released from hospital, although sources close to the incident said she is currently in a state of severe emotional distress.

Police are still appealing for anybody with information about the incident to come forward and are asked to contact Chief Insp. Stuart Crockwell at the Serious Crimes Unit on 299-4315 or the confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 1-800-623-8477. A financial reward is being offered if the information leads to the suspects arrest.

Yesterday, Mr. Dill?s father Willis Dill said: ?We are all bearing up OK.

?It has obviously been very difficult but we?re all fine and getting on with things. We are a very close knit family and we are all trying to put it into history. There is nothing we can do about it now except be strong and get on with our lives.?

Mr. Dill said his son was an intensely private man and he therefore wished to respect his memory by minimising the publicity generated by the gruesome murder.

?We as a family have decided to keep the matter as private as possible,? he said.

?Suffice to say we love him very much. He was a very caring man. He kept about a dozen cats in the backyard and used to love looking after them and feeding them. He was very easy to get on with and everybody liked him.?

Speaking to on the condition of anonymity, one friend conceded Mr. Dill had endured a life-long battle against serious drug abuse ? but that at heart he was ?as sweet as chocolate?.

?Nick was pretty heavily into drugs, and had been for most of his life,? the source said.

?But underneath it all he could be a bit of a softy. This whole thing has come as a terrible shock ... I just cannot believe it. I?ll miss him a lot and my prayers are with his family.?

First cousin Wayne Scott, speaking from New York where he was on holiday with his wife and family, said that although Mr. Dill had made ?bad choices? in his life, he was nonetheless a ?terrific guy with a big heart?.

?Nicky was the best man at my wedding 20 years ago and we have always been very close,? he said.

?But despite his personal problems, he was never a menace to society and would always go out of his way to help people or keep the peace.

?But the nature of his lifestyle did have some dire consequences. We will all miss him a lot.?