A Waterford man was stabbed to death in the early hours of yesterday morning within 200 yards of his house.
Mr Gary Doyle (28), a single father of one child, was walking with his partner and a group near his home in Priory Lawn, Ballybeg, when he became involved in an altercation shortly before 3 a.m.
During the row he was stabbed in the neck and suffered significant loss of blood.
While he was rushed to Waterford Regional Hospital for emergency treatment, efforts to save him failed.
Detectives are understood to be anxious to question a close male relative of the man, as well as others who celebrated New Year's Eve with him.
The scene of the fatal stabbing was sealed off yesterday, with the State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, due to examine it and conduct a post-mortem on the victim at Waterford Regional Hospital this morning.
Members of the Garda Technical Bureau searched a green area near where the stabbing took place in an effort to find the knife used in the attack.
Flowers and a potted plant marked the scene of the attack yesterday afternoon, while the victim's car was still parked outside McGinty's Pub, which is part of Ivory's Hotel on the Waterford-Tramore road.
Supt Michael McGarry, who is heading the investigation team based in Ballybricken, appealed last night for witnesses to to contact gardaí.
"We want anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious, or indeed anyone else who may be able to assist our investigation in any way, to come forward.
"The victim was in a bar on the Tramore Road on New Year's Eve. He and his group would have walked out the Cork Road, past Waterford Crystal and turned left into Ballybeg before entering Ballybeg Drive.
"We are most anxious to hear from anyone who was in this area or who saw Gary Doyle or other members of his party between about 1 a.m and 3 a.m."
While most of the victim's neighbours did not wish to comment, Ms Brigeen Grant, who lives elsewhere in Ballybeg, said that, although she did not know the victim or his family, she was "terribly shocked" by the violent death.