Gardaí have confirmed that a 41-year-old man found dead at his apartment in Letterkenny, Co Donegal on Wednesday was murdered. Polish national Bogdan Michalkiewicz died a "brutal death.", Gardaí confirmed today.
At a press conference in Letterkenny Garda Station today, Inspector Michael Harrison said: “It has been confirmed he suffered a brutal death and this case has been upgraded to a murder investigation. “It would be no exaggeration to say that his death was horrific.”
Gardaí declined to say if weapons were used in the attack or the extent of the man’s injuries for operational reasons.
Mr Michalkiewicz was part of a group of workers who found themselves stranded when they arrived in Ireland from Poland in 2005. The men arrived here with the promise of three months' work but found themselves stranded without jobs or money.
The 13 Polish and four Latvian men, ranging in age from 18 to 54, had travelled to Letterkenny after accepting an offer of work on a building site. But after a week they were told that there was no more work.
The dead man’s brother Tomasz found him yesterday at 11am at Westside Apartments. Mr Michalkiewicz had last been seen 48 hours earlier around lunchtime on Monday in the vicinity of his apartment.
A post mortem took place on the dead man’s body and it has been released to his family for burial. A number of neighbours of the dead man have been rehomed temporarily as part of the investigation as the Garda Technical Crime Bureau continue their investigation.
Detective Inspector Pat O’Donnell said they are at an early stage of investigation. They have appealed to the Polish and wider foreign community to come forward if they have any information. Garda Inspector Harrison asked anyone who can help the case to call 074-91 67100.