Murder probe launched into city death

A MURDER investigation was launched last night after a post mortem revealed an inner city Dublin man, whose body was found on Thursday, died from multiple injuries.

The deceased was named as Paul Farrell, aged 46, of Buckingham Street, Dublin 1.

His body was found in a derelict building off Coke Street in the heart of the city.

Gardaí believe he was beaten to death.

Originally from Coolock in Dublin but living in the city centre, Mr Farrell’s body was discovered on Thursday afternoon by three youths.

They found the partially clothed body of the man after entering the building, sometimes used as a squat by heroin addicts and the homeless, on Coke Lane off Arran Quay. Gardaí have established he was last seen at 10pm on Wednesday night, drinking in a bar in the area. Detectives from the Bridewell are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

When found, the man was wearing a blue Dublin GAA T-shirt. He had been living in the city centre for some time and was known to frequent pubs in the Arran Quay/Ormonde Quay/Queen Street area.

The murder was the latest in a series of recent suspicious deaths. The family of Victor Murphy, who may have shot himself, yesterday visited the spot where his body was dumped, at Dunsink Lane, Finglas, north Dublin.

The 30-year-old, described as a minor drug dealer, died after receiving a shotgun wound to his head. Sources close to the investigation said the family were extremely distressed that he was dumped out of the car by people that he knew.

Gardaí have established that he died while travelling in the car, which was later abandoned in the Berryfield area of north Dublin. Detectives have yet to establish who was in the car with him but have interviewed a number of known associates.

There have been local reports that the shot was discharged at a halting site in the area and that Mr Murphy may have been part of a group sent to attack dealers who owed money to a drugs gang. However, investigators have not established that as a fact.

Garda sources dismissed a direct link with last month’s murder of Willie O’Regan, who was shot dead at a flat in Cabra, north Dublin.