A MAN is expected to appear in court as early as today following his arrest for questioning over the stabbing to death of a woman in Roscommon over the weekend.
The suspect, who knew the dead woman all his life, was arrested shortly after the incident on Saturday and has been in Garda custody since.
The dead woman has been named as 49-year-old Ann Henry with an address at the Spinney, Abbeytown, Roscommon town.
Her husband, Phelim Henry, is the principal of the primary school in Ballyleague, Co Roscommon.
Gardaí believe the dead woman became involved in an argument at her family home on Saturday afternoon and that the row spilled over to the outside of the house, where she was stabbed as she apparently tried to run away.
Gardaí were called and when they arrived at the scene at 2.30pm they found Ms Henry, who has two adult sons, at the front of the house. She had suffered stab wounds after being attacked by the man she was arguing with.
The emergency services were called and Ms Henry was taken by ambulance to Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.
However, efforts to save her were not successful and she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
A 24-year-old man known to Ms Henry was arrested at the scene and taken to Roscommon Garda station. He has been held there since.
He was being questioned under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act on suspicion of murder.
Garda sources said the man is the chief suspect in the case and he may appear before the courts as early as today.
Ms Henry’s husband was not at home at the time of the attack. Immediately after gardaí arrived on the scene they sealed off the house and the area around it.
The Garda Technical Bureau were at the scene on Saturday evening and throughout yesterday, and have been carrying out a full forensic examination of both the area where the dead woman was found and the house where the fatal confrontation started.
Gardaí are trying to piece together the circumstances leading to the killing, and have commenced door-to-door inquiries in an attempt to establish whether neighbours were aware of any disturbance at the house earlier on Saturday or in recent times.
While gardaí believe an accurate picture is emerging relating to the circumstances of the murder, they have asked for anyone who was in the area at the time of the stabbing to contact them at Roscommon Garda station.