Gardaí have begun a murder investigation after the body of a 19-year-old father of one was found on waste ground in a Limerick housing estate yesterday morning. Conor Lallyand Kathryn Hayesreport.
The victim has been named as Jeffrey Hannan, Galtee Drive, O'Malley Park, South Hill. The dead man's remains were found on a pathway close to his home by a man out walking at 10.30am yesterday.
The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, carried out a preliminary examination of the body at the scene yesterday evening. The remains were moved to Limerick Regional Hospital just before 7pm. While the results were not released last night it is understood Mr Hannan sustained severe head injuries inflicted with a heavy blunt instrument.
Gardaí have said they do not believe the killing was in any way linked to a feud in the city.
Mr Hannan left his family home on Wednesday night and was last seen at about 2.30am yesterday with a number of other people at a bonfire close to where he was found.
Detectives investigating the murder believe a row may have broken out and that Mr Hannan was killed in a spur of the moment attack. Early indications are that the row may have been over a young woman from the area. However, gardaí said they are keeping an open mind as to the motive.
Mr Hannan's remains were found about 80 metres from the home he shared with his parents, Alan and Geraldine, his sister Emily (22) and his younger brother Alan jnr (14).
Mr Hannan said he had no idea why his son had been killed. He said the family had recently celebrated the first birthday of Jeffrey's daughter, Nikita.
"He loved his daughter. She is the image of him. He bought her a bike for her birthday. It's here inside the house," he said.
Jeffrey Hannan had recently returned from England and was hoping to start work as a trainee barman next week. "I can't understand it at all. He was so quiet - he'd do anything for anyone," his father said.
He added his wife was devastated and found it particularly traumatic knowing that her son's body was lying outside the family home all day while gardaí waited for the State Pathologist.
"His mother goes upstairs to use the toilet and that's what she's looking out at from the top window. Knowing that her son is over there on the ground," he said.
Mr Hannan was last seen by his mother at 1.50am yesterday when she looked out a back bedroom window and saw him at a bonfire near the house. His father said yesterday that he knew his son was dead when he heard a body had been found near his home. "He didn't arrive home last night. I got up this morning and went to work and I said to the lads that I had to go back over and see if he was home. When I went back over and heard that there was a body over there I knew. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach."
Supt Frank O'Brien said he could not confirm what type of weapon was used in the attack but said the victim had suffered "serious trauma".
He described Mr Hannan as a decent young man who had a good relationship with his family. He appreciated the distress caused to the Hannans by the remains being left at the scene throughout the day.
Anyone with any information on the murder is asked to contact gardaí at Roxboro Garda station on (061) 214340.