Gardaí are continuing a search off Co Kerry for the body of a man whose wife was found murdered in her Tralee home on Tuesday afternoon.
Some seven hours after the discovery of the body of Kataryzna Bartowiak (24), at 3pm on Tuesday, her husband Stephen Goodson-Ukiwo took his own life at cliffs in Ballybunion, the popular seaside and golfing town north of the Tralee.
He had earlier alerted the emergency services about his wife. An incident room has been set up in Tralee.
Ms Bartowiak may have been killed late on Monday night. However, her body lay in the house until it was discovered on Tuesday afternoon. Her 14-month-old son was in the house at the time of her death and when her body was found.
The investigation into the death of Ms Bartowiak, who was originally from Poland, has been officially upgraded to murder. However, Garda sources have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else.
Trained Garda negotiators spent six hours at the scene near the Ladies Beach in Ballybunion on Tuesday night, attempting to talk Mr Goodson-Ukiwo to safety, but shortly after 10pm the attempt failed. He had driven to the cliffs in his wife's car, which was found nearby.
Mr Goodson-Ukiwo was an asylum seeker in his 30s and originally from the West African republic of Benin.
Garda sources have confirmed that he had been married previously and that his former wife and family remain in this country.
A search and rescue operation is continuing today in the sea off Co Kerry.
Ms Bartowiak's body had remained overnight in the house in the Deerpark estate – a new private 100-house development near the Manor Shopping Park – but was removed to nearby Kerry General Hospital early yesterday.
Garda forensic experts along with assistant State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster had carried out a preliminary examination of the scene the previous night.
Forensic investigations continued at the house, which remained sealed off.
The couple's 14-month-old son was in the house alone when gardaí and the ambulance services arrived.
Ms Bartowiak, whose body was found in an upstairs bedroom, had probably been dead since the previous night, "at least 12 to 15 hours", according to sources. It is understood the child's father had left the family home about two hours before the emergency services arrived. He was one of two people to alert the emergency services.
A man who lives nearby and who described himself as a friend of the couple, but who did not wish to be named, said he had been worried for some time about Mr Goodson-Ukiwo's state of mind. He had not been working because he was an asylum seeker and the man said his friend had gone very quiet and into himself for some weeks.
Ms Bartowiak had worked until recently at Dunnes Stores on the North Circular Road in Tralee. Workers described her as "stunning and lovely" and said they were extremely saddened by her death.
She had worked in the cosmetics and other departments but had been let go three weeks ago in staff cutbacks, sources said.
A spokeswoman for Dunnes Stores would not comment on her death.
Family members of Ms Bartowiak were due to arrive in Tralee last night from Poland.
Meanwhile, Michael Carr of the Golf Hotel in Ballybunion said the couple had met when she was working in Seán Óg's bar in Tralee.
Mr Carr, who had employed Ms Bartowiak, said they were "exceptional and lovely people".