The RUC is still attempting to establish a motive for the murder of a man found beaten to death in the Shankill area of Belfast early yesterday. He has been named as Mr David McDowell (34).
A murder inquiry has been opened after Mr McDowell's body was found lying on a footpath at the junction of Shankill Road and Lanark Way at around 4.30 a.m. The discovery was made by a passer-by.
The RUC said a post-mortem had revealed that Mr McDowell had suffered extensive head injuries but had not been shot.
"At this stage a motive has not been established," a RUC spokeswoman said.
It is understood police are studying CCTV footage from several local businesses.
Loyalist sources said they were not aware of any motive for the killing.
Mr McDowell, a devout Christian, had just moved into Battenburg Street, near where his body was found. The RUC believes that he might have been moving furniture into the house on foot when he was attacked.
A local Progressive Unionist Party Assembly member, Mr Billy Hutchinson, said he was very concerned by the murder. "It is a very worrying development. Any time a body is found in any area obviously it is a cause for alarm. My understanding is that the victim was very quiet and unassuming. I believe he was a religious man who went regularly to his church," Mr Hutchinson said.
He was not aware of any possible motive for the murder and he urged people not to jump to conclusions about it.
"Everyone should wait until the RUC is in possession of all the information. Nobody should rush to any judgment until the police have established exactly what happened."
The murder was condemned by Belfast's Lord Mayor, Mr Jim Rodgers.
"It is a tragic situation whatever the motive. It shows there are still people in this society who are prepared to go out and murder for whatever reason," he said.
Traffic diversions were in place on the Shankill yesterday as forensic experts carried out an examination of a large area surrounding the murder scene.
Det Supt Phillip Wright said Mr McDowell was considered to be "an unassuming man who was a bit of a loner".
It is understood that a bank card was found on the victim's body.
Mr McDowell, a Protestant, has relatives living in the Woodvale area.