PSNI believes Derry man beaten to death

PSNI detectives investigating the death of a man in the Waterside, Derry, at the weekend believe he was beaten to death during…

PSNI detectives investigating the death of a man in the Waterside, Derry, at the weekend believe he was beaten to death during a party in his home.

The body of Nigel Murphy (42) was found lying in a pool of blood by police and ambulance officers who were called to the victim's Clooney Terrace home at teatime on Saturday.

Mr Murphy, who is understood to have suffered from alcoholism, had sustained serious head injuries and died in the early hours of yesterday morning in Altnagelvin Hospital.

Detectives were yesterday continuing to question three men and two women who were taken from Mr Murphy's home into police custody. Mr Murphy had lived there with his fiancee for almost two years.

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Police officers yesterday carried out a series of door-to-door inquiries in the area as forensic officers examined inside and outside the victim's home. Two windows in Mr Murphy's home were smashed, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor from which an electric iron attached to a cable was seen dangling.

A PSNI spokesperson appealed for anyone who was in the Clooney Terrace area on Saturday between 5pm and 6.30pm to come forward.

A member of the Clooney Tenants' Association said the murder had shocked people in the area.

"There has been rowdiness in this area for some time and the association has had discussions with the police, the social services and with the housing executive in a bid to reduce the problem, much of which is drink related," the spokesperson said.