Postmortem results on the bodies of two women and two children whose bodies were discovered in Newcastle West, Limerick on Tuesday have confirmed all four victims were stabbed to death.
It is understood that Sarah Hines (25); her two children, three-year-old Reece and five-month-old Amy; and their mother’s friend, Alicia Brough from Rockchapel, Co Cork, died on Monday. Their bodies were discovered the following day.
A man (31) who is being questioned in relation to the deaths is back in Henry Street Garda station having received medical treatment in Cork University Hospital for a hand injury.
Details of the suspect’s movements have now come to light. It appears he caught a bus to Limerick on Monday evening at 5.30pm before changing in Ennis and took a bus to Kilkee, a seaside resort in Co Clare. Once there he booked into a hotel under his own name and paid in cash. He stayed alone in the room overnight.
The man apparently spent the following day around the town in Kilkee where he made two phone calls from a public phone kiosk.
Gardaí in the Clare division were alerted to his calls at around 2pm and began carrying out searches of guesthouses, hotels and pubs in the area.
He was, according to one source, “supping a pint” with a group of people when he was approached by gardaí. Although the suspect gave a false name, attending gardaí were suspicious and arrested him on suspicion of murder.
He was brought to Henry Street Garda station where he was questioned in connection with the Newcastle West murders. However, questioning was subsequently suspended as the man was brought to Cork University Hospital for treatment to injuries to his hand that were sustained prior to his arrest.
An investigation involving up to 50 gardaí is ongoing, including interviewing witnesses and door to door inquiries. A technical examination has started at the house and will take a number of days to complete.
Gardaí are asking for anyone who was in the Hazlegrove Estate on November 15th or 16th to contact the incident room Newcastle West Garda station on 069 20650.