Man held after fatal stabbing in Roscommon

A MAN in his 30s was questioned by gardaí throughout yesterday following the fatal stabbing of a young Brazilian woman in Roscommon…

A MAN in his 30s was questioned by gardaí throughout yesterday following the fatal stabbing of a young Brazilian woman in Roscommon town on Tuesday evening.

The woman, who was in her early 20s and who was named locally as Cessia Jose Gomez, died after she received stab wounds.

The incident happened at Lanesboro Street, Roscommon town.

The alarm was raised with gardaí at about 7pm on Tuesday after a disturbance was heard at a flat in the town. Gardaí called to the property at Lanesboro Street, where they found the victim.

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A man was arrested a short time later following a Garda search of the area.

He was detained for questioning at Roscommon Garda station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

Gardaí sealed off the crime scene pending the arrival of the Garda Technical Bureau. Members of the bureau examined the murder scene yesterday.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy arrived at the scene yesterday morning.

After a preliminary examination of the remains was carried out at the scene, the body was removed to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, where a postmortem was carried out yesterday. For operational reasons, the results had not been released by gardaí last night.

A weapon was found in a house in the area on Wednesday morning and was taken by gardaí for technical examination.

While it has not been officially confirmed that the weapon was used in the fatal attack, gardaí are working on the theory that they have found the weapon used.

It is understood that the victim arrived in Roscommon from Brazil about a year and a half ago. Up to a number of months ago, she had worked in a bar/restaurant in Roscommon town that has since closed.

She was described locally as a popular young woman and her death in such circumstances came as a great shock to her friends and neighbours in the Brazilian and native Irish communities in Roscommon town.

Roscommon has a substantial Brazilian community, with many workers from that country employed in the Kepak factory in Athleague, four miles from Roscommon town.

It is understood that Ms Gomez does not have any relatives in Ireland. Her family in Brazil have been contacted by gardaí. The man who was arrested is believed to be a foreign national who was known to the victim.