A 13-year-old British boy, Alfie Hallett, was fatally stabbed in his family home in Tomar, Portugal, by his mother’s ex-partner, a convicted killer who also died from stab wounds during the incident on December 23, 2025.
Alfie Hallett, a 13-year-old British national living in the village of Casais near Tomar, approximately 85 miles northeast of Lisbon, was stabbed to death in his home on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, by Goncalo Carvalho, the 43-year-old ex-partner of Alfie’s mother, according to reports from Balkanweb and Sky News.
Tragic Incident Unfolds in Portuguese Family Home
Portuguese authorities were called to the family home in Casais, Tomar, around lunchtime on December 23, 2025, where they discovered 13-year-old Alfie Hallett and 43-year-old Goncalo Carvalho both suffering from multiple stab wounds, as reported by Sky News and Balkanweb. Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene despite initial signs of life, with police believing Carvalho first attacked Alfie’s 43-year-old mother, restrained her, then stabbed the boy before injuring himself and barricading inside the property, according to Balkanweb. A gas explosion during the incident also injured a police officer, Balkanweb added. The mother managed to free herself from plastic ties around her wrists and ankles, sought help from neighbours, and was hospitalised with severe facial injuries including possible broken teeth and bloodied hands, a neighbour told Balkanweb.
As reported by Balkanweb for Balkanweb, a neighbour described the mother as “very scared, she had been hit very badly in the face. It looked like she had broken her teeth. There was a lot of blood on her hands and plastic tape around her wrists and ankles.”
Background of Attacker and Prior Domestic Violence Reports
Goncalo Carvalho, a 43-year-old Portuguese national, had a history of extreme violence, having been previously convicted of murdering a man by stabbing him 35 times and serving nearly 15 years in prison before early release for good behaviour, according to CNN Portugal as cited by Balkanweb. Alfie Hallett had reported incidents of domestic violence between his mother and Carvalho between 2022 and 2023, with the mother filing complaints after Carvalho attempted to control her and frequently slept in his car outside the house, Balkanweb reported citing SIC Notícias. Despite the couple separating after a 2023 incident, neighbours noted Carvalho continued to visit the home regularly, according to the same source.
History of Violence and Family Warnings
The Judicial Police confirmed Carvalho as the suspected attacker, the former partner of Alfie’s mother with prior domestic abuse allegations, as detailed by Evrimagaci citing local media and BBC reports. The Criminal Investigation Department of Leiria has taken charge of the probe to establish the sequence of events, Evrimagaci stated. Alfie, described in community accounts as a keen basketball player, lived in the quiet town of Tomar, which has been left shocked by the tragedy, according to Evrimagaci.
Official Responses and Ongoing Investigation
The British Foreign Office stated it is in contact with local authorities following the incident in Portugal and stands ready to provide consular support, as reported by Sky News and Evrimagaci. Portuguese authorities, including the Judicial Police, have classified the case as linked to domestic violence, with the investigation ongoing to determine if additional preventive measures could have been taken, Evrimagaci noted citing official sources. The mother received hospital treatment for her injuries, and support is being extended to the family amid the grief, according to Balkanweb and Sky News reports.
Alfie Hallett and Goncalo Carvalho were both found dead from stab wounds at the Tomar family home on December 23, 2025, following an attack by the mother’s ex-partner that also injured her and a police officer, with authorities investigating prior domestic violence reports.
