A 65-year-old widow died last night following a stabbing at her home in south Co Dublin.
Gardaí are expected to begin a murder investigation this morning after the incident at Clarinda Park East in Dún Laoghaire.
She has been named as Jane Braidwood, who worked as a mental health professional.
The mother-of-three grown-up children was taken to St Vincent’s hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Gardaí have identified a chief suspect for the killing and he was being questioned last night at Dún Laoghaire Garda station.
He was well known to the victim and senior sources said they were not looking for anyone else in relation to the killing.
Family home
The fatal assault occurred inside Ms Braidwood’s family home just after 5pm on Tuesday.
Gardaí believe a man in his 30s stabbed her repeatedly inside the property.
A woman in her 30s, understood to be Ms Braidwood’s daughter, ran on to the street to raise the alarm.
The suspect followed her out of the house. When a passerby tried to intervene, he was stabbed several times. His injuries are not life-threatening.
The suspect then went back into the property, where he remained until the emergency services arrived.He was arrested at the scene under section four of the Criminal Justice Act.