Gardaí investigating the murder of 90-year-old Paddy Lyons have arrested a man in his 20s.
The pensioner was found dead at his isolated farmhouse in Ballysaggart near Lismore in West Waterford at the weekend.
Detectives arrested the man on Monday evening and he is being held at a station in Waterford under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows gardaí detain suspects for up to 24 hours before he has to be charged or released.
The breakthrough in the case came after Supt Mick Leacy of Dungarvan Garda Station issued an appeal to a couple who raised the alarm on Saturday afternoon to come forward. They contacted gardaí on Monday afternoon.
Earlier on Monday, Supt Leacy had said gardaí were anxious to speak to the couple who had called to Mr Lyons’s house around 4.30pm on Saturday and found him dead. They then called to a neighbour’s house and asked them to notify the emergency services.
Mr Lyons was pronounced dead at the scene and gardaí immediately cordoned off the area and requested the services of the State Pathologist’s Office.
It’s understood the couple who came forward were not arrested, but are assisting gardaí with their investigation into the death of Mr Lyons, whom gardaí now believe was killed sometime on Friday during a robbery at his house.
Supt Leacy confirmed on Monday that gardaí had upgraded their inquiry to a murder investigation following the completion of a post-mortem, but he declined to disclose what had been found at autopsy that led gardaí to upgrade the investigation.
Appealing to the public for assistance, Supt Leacy said that Mr Lyons was well-known in the area and was last seen alive at around 4.30pm on Friday. Gardaí want to speak to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area since that time.
“We are seeking the public’s assistance locally and in the wider community, anyone who may have any information in relation to this investigation to come forward. We are especially asking a man and a woman who raised the alarm shortly after 4.30pm on Saturday to contact us.
“Paddy was well known in the local community and had regular visitors to his house. We would ask anyone who would call to his house on a regular basis to contact us at the Incident Room at Dungarvan Garda Station on 058-48600 or the Garda Confidential Line or any garda station.”
