Gardaí are investigating the violent death of County Clare woman Deirdre McCarthy.
They have not revealed the full post mortem results and the investigation is not yet a murder inquiry.
The body of the 43-year-old single woman was found on Fanore beach in County Clare on Thursday morning, three days after she was reported missing from her Ballyvaughan home.
Ms McCarthy was last seen alive on Sunday night and the alarm was raised on Monday afternoon.
Garda press officer Supt John Gilligan said: “Because of the investigation so far, we are satisfied that she died as a result of violence and while we are not specifically naming the type of investigation, we are treating the investigation, at this point in time, with the same seriousness as a murder investigation”.
“We think that whatever happened to Deirdre, the answer lies in the local community, a community which is now shook by her death. We want people to think about what happened; to think about what they may have seen or heard, anything unusual or suspicious, the sighting of a car or person.
“Something small often leads to the development of a further lead in the investigation so we are asking people to come forward.”
Gardaí have confirmed she returned home at about 11.30pm and that she had been given a lift there by friends.
Gardaí have also confirmed that two vehicles, seized as part of the investigation, have been technically examined. However, no arrests have yet been made.
Sources have confirmed gardaí have spoken to a “person of interest” several times and this local man is their main suspect.
Gardaí in Ennistymon can be contacted at 065-7072180.