An inquest into the death of Sebastian Creane, who was fatally stabbed in his home in Bray, Co Wicklow last August, has returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
The inquest heard Creane (22), a student at Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology was killed when Shane Clancy (22) went on a frenzied knife attack also stabbing Sebastian's girlfriend Jennifer Hannigan, then aged 22, and his brother Dylan, then aged 28.
Clancy then took his own life.
During this morning's inquest in Wicklow Creane family solicitor Peter Flynn of Mayo read a prepared statement in which Dylan, and parents James and Nuala Creane, said they were trying to come to terms with "abrupt, calculated and violent termination" of Sebastian's life.
The family said they could "not comprehend that an attempt was made to ascribe fault to prescribed medication (which was being taken by Shane Clancy at the time of the killing) without any corresponding attempt being made to consider all other factors".
The inquest was told Clancy had "stalked" Sebastian Creane because he was jealous of Sebastian's relationship with Ms Hannigan.
The family said: "Let us not forget what happened here. Seb was stalked by a person who, having manoeuvred his way into our home, left, armed himself and then returned sometime later to complete his objective.
"By playing on Seb's better nature he once again gained access to the house, killed Seb, attempted to kill Jen and then Dylan before withdrawing to kill himself."
Referring to suggestions that prescribed medication had somehow been responsible for the killings, the family said it regretted that the inquests of the two men had "sadly provided a platform to air an assumption as to the only motivation of Clancy.
This took place in a forum which would not allow for any questioning or any challenging of that assumption, despite the expressed concerns of the College of Psychiatry of Ireland".
The family added they hoped they could now "draw a line under the proceedings" and "never again open a newspaper to see images of Seb, Jen or our home". Such images they said served only to reopen their wounds.
