GARDAI are investigating the suspected murder of a young woman - believed to be a foreign national - whose body was discovered in an apartment in central Dublin yesterday.
The victim, believed to be in her early 20s, was found with serious head injuries in the third floor apartment at Mellor Court in Liffey Street, in the north city centre area at about 4 p.m. yesterday.
According to Supt Bill Donoghue of Store Street, death took place between 10 p.m. on Saturday night, when the victim received a telephone call, and the early hours of yesterday.
"We believe she has been murdered," said Supt Donoghue. "It would appear some blunt object was used. She had serious head injuries."
The apartment had been ransacked and the victim is thought to be non European, was found in her bed, covered by her bedclothes.
Gardai believe she had been living in London but crime to Dublin on Christmas Eve. They do not, believe she was the tenant. "We are at the initial stages of the investigation and we are just trying to piece together a jigsaw about her," said Supt Donoghue.
Mr Mick Murphy from west, "Cork who lived across the hall from the apartment in which the body was discovered, said there did not appear to be signs of damage to its door.
"It's madness to think that it could happen only 15 feet away from you," he said. Mr Murphy said the complex was occupied mainly by young people and that the victim had not been living there for long.
Another neighbour, who declined to be named, said she had heard nothing despite living under the apartment. "We have nice neighbours," she said. "Only nice people live here."