GARDAÍ IN Cork were last night poised to launch a murder investigation into the death of a 62-year-old man whose body was found with a head injury in a flat where he lived alone on the northside of the city.
Detectives were awaiting the results of a postmortem examination on the dead man by State Pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy.
Preliminary findings suggested the man had suffered a laceration to the head after being struck by an implement.
The man, named locally as Michael Healy, was discovered by his brother at about 9.30am yesterday when he called to Mr Healy’s top-storey flat at Rocksprings Terrace at St Luke’s Cross. He alerted gardaí.
A separated father of two adult sons, Mr Healy was originally from Grenagh in north Cork but had lived in Mayfield for several years prior to his separation about a decade ago.
He had worked for the past number of years as a taxi driver.
It is understood Mr Healy’s family became concerned when they had not heard from him since Saturday.
His brother called to the flat yesterday morning where he found Mr Healy’s clothed body on the bathroom floor.
Gardaí, working under Supt Tom Myers of Mayfield Garda station, cordoned off the scene and requested the services of the State Pathologist’s office.
After Dr Cassidy carried out a preliminary examination of the body, gardaí confirmed they were treating the death as suspicious.
Mr Healy’s body was removed to Cork University Hospital at about 5pm and Prof Cassidy began her postmortem which was expected to last several hours.
Gardaí were expecting it to confirm that Mr Healy had died a violent death.
According to informed Garda sources, there was no sign of a forced entry to Mr Healy’s flat in the three-storey building.
This prompted them to examine the possibility that he may have been assaulted by somebody he knew or someone he had invited in.
Gardaí were also examining the possibility that Mr Healy may have not locked the door to his flat and that an intruder may have gained entry, though there was no sign of a disturbance in the flat and it did not appear that anything had been taken.
Detectives were also examining the possibility that Mr Healy may have been assaulted elsewhere and made his way home, where he died.
Gardaí were last night speaking to the occupants of the other flats in the house to see if they heard or noticed any disturbance or anything unusual at Mr Healy’s flat since Saturday.
Officers have also begun door-to-door inquiries in the general St Luke’s area which, over the past 30 or 40 years, has seen many former residences converted into flats housing a large transient population.
Many neighbours were just learning of the death yesterday evening.
Gardai in Mayfield have appealed to anyone who may have heard a disturbance or noticed anything suspicious in the area to contact them at 021-4558519.