A murder probe was launched after an elderly man was killed with an axe in his own home.
The victim, a Vietnamese national, was found lying in a pool of blood in his Robinson’s Court flat off Cork Street in South Dublin.
Gardai believe he was struck in the head and body with an axe – which was recovered at the scene.
An exact motive for the crime has not yet been established and sources said no obvious signs of a break-in were observed.
Detectives from Kevin Street Garda station launched a full murder investigation on Thursday night.
Officers from the Garda Technical Bureau were seen combing the scene and pitching a tent in front of the man’s apartment yesterday.
The entire street was also sealed off as gardai awaited the State Pathologist to examine the body. Later in the evening State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers attended the scene and the body was removed for a postmortem which is due to take place today.
The victim, who was in his 70s, was well known in the area and locals described him as “quiet but kind”.
He was known to walk around the streets carrying a trolley and was described as “frail” by those that knew of him.
One local woman said: “He would walk around the streets quite often and very slowly.
“He was a kind fella. Very quiet. He mostly kept to himself.”
People in the area said the man, who is believed to have lived alone, was often seen in the local Pimlico Tavern prior to lockdown.
One neighbour added: “He was often up there. He would sit there by himself. That was his local.”
Another neighbour John Joseph Kelly added: “It’s just terrible. I would walk by there and I’d see him from time to time.
“He was a quiet man, kept to himself.”
In a statement, gardai said: “Officers are carrying out a criminal investigation into the discovery of a body of a male in unexplained circumstances this morning, 29/04/2021, at a residence in the Robinson’s Court area of Cork Street, Dublin 8.”
They also appealed for anyone with information to come forward, particularly anyone who was in or passing by the Robinson’s Court area of Cork Street between 6pm on Wednesday, April 28 to 11am on Thursday, April 29.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Kevin Street Garda station on 01 666 9400 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
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