Canal murder victim ‘normal man going about his business’

Detectives have identified the torso discovered in a suitcase in the Grand Canal at Ardclough, Co Kildare, on Saturday and said the victim was a “normal family man” who was “brutally murdered”.

At a press briefing at Leixlip Garda station on Tuesday night, the man was named as Kenneth O’Brien (33), from Clondalkin, west Dublin.

O’Brien was reported missing last week.

He was identified through DNA analysis after a family member provided a sample to gardaí.

Detectives believe Mr O’Brien may have been dismembered with the use of machinery or power tools.

He was not known to gardaí, apart from some minor traffic violations, and had returned to the Republic from Australia in December.

Supt Gerry Wall from Leixlip Garda station said there was currently "no indication" as to why Mr O'Brien was killed.

“It is a particularly gruesome crime and the brutality of it cannot be overstated in respect of how a human being has been treated,” he said.

“It focuses us and the intensity of the investigation to find the perpetrator of the crime and bring them to justice.”

He said there was “no evidence” to suggest Mr O’Brien feared for his life.

“This was a very normal man going about his business, pursuing his employment, trying to get some work, and he has been brutally murdered.”

He said Mr O’Brien, who worked as a JCB driver and a diesel fitter, was last seen alive on Friday morning.

“He explained to his family that he was going to carry out some work down the country,” said Supt Wall.

“He wasn’t seen or heard from since. By virtue of the fact he was last seen in Clondalkin, it is an area that is of particular interest to us.

“We don’t have any mode of transport for him. If people did see him in a car or on a bus, it would be of assistance to us.”

Mr O’Brien was described as 6ft2, of stocky build, with a beard.

He had a partner and children, who were said to be “devastated and grief-stricken”.

Appeal for information

“Anybody who may have spoken to Mr O’Brien between Friday, January 15th, and Saturday, January 16th, should contact us,” Supt Wall said.

“If you have spoken with him by email, phone, and/or texting, we would like to hear from you.”

He said there had been a steady flow of information since the first public appeal for information by gardaí, but that no “particularly hard evidence” had been produced so far.

“There have been steady enquiries, bringing forward steady information, bringing up good leads for us to follow,” he said.

“There hasn’t been any particularly hard evidence, but it has been useful.”

The inquiry team also issued a fresh appeal to business owners following the discovery.

It urged people who may have been away from commercial or other premises for the weekend to check for any signs of activity or clean-up effort that may have taken place.

A postmortem carried out by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis concluded the man was dead a maximum of three days before being found.

It is believed Mr O’Brien was killed at a separate location to where his torso was found. His head and limbs have not been located.

Searches of Clondalkin and the area where the body was found are continuing with An Garda Síochána’s specialist water and dog units.