THE PARENTS of 17-year-old Killarney student Stephen Lyne found stabbed to death just yards from his home have described the loss of their “beloved and beautiful son” as devastating and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
They have also appealed for respect for the privacy of themselves and their four remaining children from the media.
A team of 30 detectives and gardaí has been assigned to a full-scale murder investigation. Some 26 young people have so far been interviewed in their homes and in the Garda station in Killarney.
These are people who met Lyne, a fourth-year student at Killarney Community College, on Wednesday night in Killarney.
CCTV footage from a number of locations is also being examined.
Gardaí are trying to establish whether an incident in the town led up to Lyne’s death on Ross Road, a major tourist route, and whether he walked home alone.
He was found lying on the grass margin by a passerby at 1.30am and was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardaí do not believe he had lain there for a long time.
In a statement issued through a family friend in public relations yesterday, Denis and Lotte Lyne, of Ross Road, Killarney, Co Kerry, said they fear their family will never again be complete or truly happy.
“We are absolutely devastated at the death of our beloved son Stephen.
“That he was taken from us in such a mindless violent manner, if possible, only adds to the agony. ”
Stephen had been “a great boy” and he was growing into a fine young man, the statement continues.
“It is impossible to express how it feels to know that his potential will never now be realised. We face the future knowing that without our beautiful son our family will never again feel complete or be truly happy.
“The Garda have appealed for anyone who saw Stephen in Killarney town between 9.30pm on Wednesday evening and 1.30am on Thursday morning to contact their incident room on 064 31222 or the Garda confidential line of 1800 666111 and we join in their appeal.”
Stephen Lyne’s remains will be removed to St Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney at 5pm tomorrow. Requiem Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 10.30am followed by burial at Aghadoe Cemetery.