Samurai sword among weapons found in Dublin house where woman murdered

A samurai sword and a meat cleaver are among a number of weapons being examined by gardaí investigating the murder of a woman in her home in Dublin yesterday morning.

Jean Eagers (57) died in a house at Willow Wood Grove in Hartstown. One of the people who was there at the time went to a nearby property to raise the alarm.

Gardaí investigating the death of Ms Eagers, who worked for Marks & Spencer in Blanchardstown and had two adult children, believe she and the suspect were known to each other for many years.

When gardaí arrived at the scene, in a suburban housing estate, at about 11.30am, the chief suspect (60) had locked himself inside the house.

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A large number of Garda personnel and vehicles as well as a fire tender and ambulance were visible outside the house and the scene was cordoned off while the suspect was inside and armed gardaí shouted warnings at him.

Because the situation was judged to be dangerous, stun grenades were deployed to disorientate the suspect before gardaí forced their way into the house after a standoff.

Overpowered

The chief suspect, who is from Dublin, was then overpowered and arrested before being taken away for questioning. He was injured during the incident and was taken for medical treatment to James Connolly Hospital, with his questioning at Blanchardstown Garda station suspended while he was being treated.

“The injured woman was treated at the scene by emergency services personnel but was pronounced dead a short time later,” a Garda spokesman said.

“A 60-year-old man was arrested at the scene and detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at Blanchardstown Garda station.”

He added that the scene had been sealed off and was undergoing an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. Ms Eagers’ body was left at the scene for several hours on Sunday and was examined in situ before being removed to the city morgue in Marino, where a postmortem was due to be carried out on Monday morning.

An incident room had been established at Blanchardstown Garda station and a senior investigating officer had been appointed to the case. A Garda family liaison officer was in contact with the family of the dead woman, who were said to be distraught and in shock.

Violent death

Garda sources said Ms Eagers met a very violent death, apparently by stabbing, and they were investigating if the killer had armed himself with any of the weapons taken from inside the house by gardaí. They have been taken away as evidence and for analysis.

The person who left the house to raise the alarm was a young male. Gardaí believe he may have witnessed the fatal attack and could have vital evidence that will aid the investigation.

Gardaí are following a definite line of inquiry and believe they know who killed Ms Eagers, but the force has appealed for any members of the public who were in the area at the time or who may have seen or heard anything unusual around the house to come forward.