Gardaí are investigating the deaths of two people after the remains of a man and woman were discovered on Wednesday in properties in counties Laois and Kildare. Detectives do not believe the two deaths are linked in any way and are exploring specific lines of inquiry in each case.
One of the victims, a woman in her 30s, was discovered with serious injuries, which proved fatal, at a private residence in Mountmellick, Co Laois, at about 4.45pm on Wednesday.
Gardaí believe she had been assaulted and a man in his 30s has been arrested for questioning about the fatal assault.
In the other, unrelated case, the remains of a man were discovered in a residence in Newbridge, Co Kildare. However, gardaí were still trying to establish if there was any third party involvement in the death of man, who was in his 40s. While the inquiry into all of the circumstances around his death had only begun, gardaí suspect he did not meet with foul play.
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Gardaí had called to the residence in Newbridge as part of their inquiries into an alleged assault that had been earlier brought to their attention. In the early hours of Wednesday morning a woman in her 30s presented herself to Newbridge Garda station and alleged she had been assaulted by a man in the area. She had sustained a number of injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening, and was taken to Naas General Hospital for treatment.
Gardaí began to investigate her allegation of assault and as part of that inquiry they called to a property in the Newbridge area. However, when they arrived they unexpectedly found the man in his 40s unresponsive at the residence. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí are trying to establish how he died, including whether he may have consumed a substance resulting in, or contributing to, his death.
“His body has since been removed from the scene and taken to the mortuary at Naas General Hospital. A post-mortem has been scheduled for tomorrow morning,” the Garda said in a statement on Wednesday night, adding the results of the postmortem would determine the course of their investigation into the man’s death.
Detectives investigating the killing of the woman in Mountmellick believe her death resulted from an assault. The property where she was found was immediately sealed off as a crime scene when gardaí arrived there and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man in his 30s being held by gardaí on Wednesday night was being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice at Portlaoise Garda station. He can be questioned for up to 24 hours without charge. It is understood the dead woman and the man under arrest were known to each other.
The remains of the victim were still at the property late on Wednesday pending the arrival of a pathologist to carry out a preliminary examination of the remains. Once that examination was completed, the remains of the victim were due to be removed for a postmortem, which was expected to be undertaken on Thursday.
Members of the Garda Technical Bureau were also carrying out an examination at the property and all of the resources of a homicide inquiry had been committed to the investigation. Gardaí in Portlaoise are appealing to anyone who believes they have any information that could aid the inquiry to come forward.
