GARDAÍ HAVE begun a murder investigation in Co Offaly following the discovery of a woman’s body at an apartment on Tara Street, Tullamore, on Thursday night.
The Brazilian mother of three was due to fly home to visit family in Brazil on Wednesday. It is believed she was stabbed to death.
Joselita da Silva (33) had been living in Ireland for around three years with her 17-year-old son, and was to fly home to collect her remaining teenage children next week.
Ms da Silva came from the small town of Pires do Rio in central Brazil.
The incident took place at the apartment which is just off High Street at about 7pm. Emergency services arrived on the scene at about 7.15pm after the alarm was raised by a third party.
Ms da Silva’s body was removed from the apartment following an examination by assistant State pathologist Khaled Jaber.
A full postmortem was due to be conducted at Tullamore Regional Hospital.
A man who was also in the apartment, and who is believed to be Brazilian, remained under arrest at Tullamore Regional Hospital last night. He is suffering from superficial wounds to his neck, hand and stomach.
His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.