GARDAI think they have found the murder weapon used in a savage assault on a man in Nenagh Co Tipperary early yesterday.
The body of Mr Christopher Curtin (44) was found in a public park in the town shortly before 3 a.m. yesterday. He had been beaten to death, apparently with a blunt instrument. Investigating officers collected a number of items from debris around the murder scene, one of which appears to have been used in the assault.
As a postmortem examination continued last night, it appeared that Mr Curtin suffered a short vicious beating at the park and died quickly from severe head injuries. The Garda is appealing for anyone who saw him at any time on Wednesday to come forward.
Mr Curtin, who was single and unemployed, lived at Crescent Terrace in the town. He had been in a number of pubs and left the last one he visited at about midnight.
His body was found by a person walking through the park, known as the Castle Field, who reported it to the nearby Garda station. He was lying on a pathway and his wallet, with cash inside, was still in his pocket.
Gardai have an "open mind" as to motive. If it was a robbery, it appears not to have been completed. They said there was no suggestion of drugs. Mr Curtin had no criminal record or background of criminal behaviour, and had no known enemies.
Mr Curtin's only brother, John, formally identified the body yesterday. The Chief State Pathologist Dr John Harbison, arrived during the afternoon to carry out a preliminary examination before the body was taken to Nenagh General Hospital.
The victim was described locally as a "quiet spoken and respectable man" who lived with one of his two sisters.
Supt Kevin Ludlow, Nenagh, who is heading the investigation, said Mr Curtin was dead when gardai arrived at the scene. A team of 40 gardai is working on the case.
It was not clear yesterday whether Mr Curtin would have chosen to go into the park as a short cut on his route home, or whether he expected to meet other people there. Gardai said there were no reports of any people drinking at the park on Wednesday night.
Insp Jim Fitzgerald of Nenagh said officers were anxious to talk to anyone who might have encountered or seen Mr Curtin at any time from 10 a.m. on Wednesday. He said some of Mr Curtin's movements during the day were not yet known.
House to house inquiries were continuing late last night.
Anyone with information can contact Nenagh gardai at 067 31333 or the confidential line 1800666111.