Details have been announced for the funeral of 60-year-old John Ferreira, who died following an assault on the Iron Horse Trail in Kitchener on New Year's Eve.

The funeral will be held at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Kitchener on Friday at noon.

Ferreira was fatally stabbed in the chest while walking home with his 35-year-old son Shawn just minutes before midnight on Dec. 31.

Ferreira's son was stabbed in the neck, and was treated in hospital before being released. The pair was just steps away from Ferreira's West Avenue home when the incident occurred.

Police say there was a verbal altercation with two male suspects, which escalated into a violent confrontation. The suspects are both described as white males in their late teens to early 20s, wearing dark clothing.

The first suspect is described as 6' tall, with a very thin build and shaved head. The second suspect is described as 5'9" with short, dark brown hair.

Police investigation continues

On Tuesday afternoon, police were using metal detectors to search a creek near West Avenue, possibly searching for the sharp-edged object used in the attack.

In previous days they have also canvassed people in the neighbourhood and searched nearby properties, and are believed to have been looking for a discarded weapon.

They are also asking the public for help with the investigation. Waterloo Regional Police Insp. Greg Lamport hopes anyone who may have information, or may have overheard a relevant conversation will come forward.

Lamport says they are also considering older cases, "We do look into the background of other incidents that may have occurred in the area plus any other persons that may be of interest that may have been in the area also in previous incidents."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Waterloo Regional Police at 619-653-7700 Ext. 4499 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Friends say Ferreira will be missed

Meanwhile Ferreira is being remembered as an active member of the Portuguese community, a soccer fan and a man with a good sense of humour.

Friend Victor Penelas says "We used to play soccer together, many years ago. We went out together, we partied together…It still hasn't sunk in for most of us, you know. We would never have thought something like that would happen."

Ferreira was reportedly a regular at the Algarve Restaurant on Stirling Avenue in Kitchener, including on that fateful New Year's Eve.

Family friend Libral Ferreira says "He was always pulling jokes on the other guys, taking the hat off, putting it on someone else's head, playing around, nothing to offend anybody."

He adds, "We gonna let the cops do the work, they'll find them, whoever did that, they'll find them."

The long-time Kitchener resident was a retired Budd Automotive worker. He leaves behind a wife, three children and a number of grandchildren.

Neighbour Sarah Schwartzentruber says "It was really sad how somebody could senselessly do that to another person, let alone it being him, it's very sad."

Donald Ford was Ferreira's friend and rides his bike along the Iron Horse Trail, he says "I can't even have a clue as to what happened, why someone would want to do that, I just gotta think and wonder, but I don't know."

Ferreira's family remains too distraught to appear on camera.