Gardaí investigating last weekend's suicide-double murder in Grange Con, Co Wicklow, will interview family members over coming days to try and piece together the reasons for the tragedy.
Gardaí believe pensioners John Joe and Mary Sleator were shot dead by their son Patrick before the 43-year-old turned one of two legally held shotguns on himself at the family home over the weekend.
The Sleators are survived by two middle-age daughters, Deirdre, who lives in Limerick, and Carol in Britain.
Both women are expected to be spoken to by investigating officers after the funerals of the deceased, which are expected to take place in coming days.
It is hoped either one of the murdered couple's daughters may be able to give gardaí some indication why their brother acted the way he did.
Detectives are anxious to determine if there was a long-running family problem or recent crisis that may have triggered Patrick Sleator's last violent acts, which have shocked the family's local community.
Garda sources said there were no obvious signs that the couple's bachelor son was suicidal or wanted to harm his parents. Prayers were said at St Joseph's Church in Baltinglass yesterday for the family. Friends and acquaintances of the deceased, including past pupils of Ms Sleator and members of the local golf club were in attendance. The local curate Fr Pádraig Shelley said the family would be remembered with great fondness.
Patrick Sleator was last seen drinking in a local pub on Saturday night. Gardaí believe the fatal gun attack and suicide took place some time after he returned from the pub late on Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Their bodies lay undiscovered in the kitchen for about 36 hours. Locals became concerned after the elderly couple - aged 83 and 80 - failed to attend Mass on Sunday, despite being regular Mass-goers and being very heavily involved in the church.
Following a forensic examination of the scene, the bodies were removed on Monday night to the Dublin City Morgue where State PathologistDr Marie Cassidy carried out postmortem examinations yesterday.
The results had not been released last night.