A Garda investigation into an attack on a Drogheda man who died of his injuries on Christmas Eve is likely to be upgraded to a murder investigation, The Irish Times understands.
The victim was named locally as Brian Reynolds, aged in his 40s, who owned Kits Stop N Shop in the Rathmullen Park area of the Co Louth town.
It is suspected a number of men broke into a property where he was staying in Rathmullen Park and attacked him with hammers.
Members of the anti-Maguire faction that have been involved in the Drogheda drugs feud are suspected of involvement in the death.
Markets in Vienna or Christmas at The Shelbourne? 10 holiday escapes over the festive season
Ciara Mageean: ‘I just felt numb. It wasn’t even sadness, it was just emptiness’
Stealth sackings: why do employers fire staff for minor misdemeanours?
Carl and Gerty Cori: a Nobel Prizewinning husband and wife team
Gardaí said the man was found at 7.30pm on Thursday. He was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, where he died on Saturday evening.
The Garda investigation into his death is likely to be upgraded to a murder inquiry as the investigation progresses, sources said.
One Garda source added it was unlikely the killing would be upgraded to a suspected murder on Monday night, as a number of lines of enquiry had to be bottomed out first.
[ Gardaí investigate after man dies of injuries in Co Louth hospitalOpens in new window ]
On Thursday up to four masked men allegedly entered the house where Reynolds was staying and beat him with hammers.
The savage attack is believed to be linked to the discovery of a large number of stolen cigarettes in the town earlier in the week.
A source said the victim had been staying with an ill relative, but his location was known to the attackers.
A Garda spokesman said the force is “investigating all the circumstances of the death of a man who was discovered in County Louth with serious injuries on Thursday 22nd December 2022 and subsequently passed away on Saturday 24th December 2022″.
A post mortem examination of the body has been completed, but a Garda spokesman said the results of the examination were not being released for operational reasons.
A full technical examination of the scene has also been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit.
“Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information that can assist with this investigation to come forward,” the spokesman said.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Drogheda Garda station on 041 9874200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station,” he said.
