Gardaí launched a murder investigation tonight after the discovery of a woman's body in a house in Longford town last night.
The women was found dead at 9pm yesterday in an unoccupied house on Great Waters Street in the town. Preliminary results from a post mortem examination in Mullingar General Hospital today showed the woman was strangled.
Gardaí have asked anybody who was in the St Mel's Road/Templemichael Terrace area of the town, at the rear entrance to Tesco's car park, to come forward.
The want to speak to anybody who may have seen anything unusual in that area between 12 noon and 10 pm yesterday.
The dead woman was five foot three inches high, with shoulder length black hair, and was wearing a black track suit with two white stripes along the legs and sleeves. She was carrying a large black shoulder bag.
At the request of the victim's family, gardai are no naming the dead woman. However, it is believed she is a well-known local woman.
The crime scene remains sealed off for technical examination and the investigation is ongoing, a Garda spokesman said.