Man and woman held in connection with brutal murder

A 21-YEAR-OLD woman was arrested last night in connection with the brutal murder of a man in Tyrellstown in west Dublin who had his throat cut.

The woman is being detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station under section 30 of The Offences Against The State Act. Another suspect with a history of extreme violence remains in custody after his arrest earlier yesterday. The killing is not believed to be gangland related.

A post mortem has concluded on the body of Adil Essalhi, a 31-year-old Pakistani and father of four who lived in Drumcondra. While details of the post mortem are not being released, forensic evidence shows his throat was slashed. It is the fifth murder in the country already this year and the third fatal stabbing.

Gardaí hope to link the male suspect, a violent criminal, to the crime through DNA and further forensic tests on the victim’s body.

Essalhi’s body was found in a ditch near playing fields on Thursday afternoon after four days of searches by gardaí of the fields at Bellgree estate at Tyrellstown, near Blanchardstown. He was reported missing last Thursday week by his family.

Gardaí obtained information over last weekend which was assessed by senior officers at Blanchardstown Garda Station. As a result, the divisional search team began a detailed examination of the lands on Monday.

On the fourth day of searching they came across a body partially submerged in a flooded ditch and sealed off the area.

“He was badly beaten and disfigured and although he is of Pakistani background that could not be determined visually such was the disfigurement,” said a garda source.

He said the man had been stabbed to death and died after his throat was slashed. The Garda Technical Bureau conducted a forensic examination and the Garda Sub Aqua Unit assisted in removing the body.

Detectives suspect his murder was not planned and that he was killed while in the company of others in a house and hastily dumped.

“He was in the company of people drinking and taking drugs and probably killed in some moment of madness. It’s not gangland related,” said a garda source.

Gardaí know the identity of those in the house and at lunchtime yesterday arrested the main suspect. This 39-year-old man from west Dublin has a previous conviction for manslaughter in north Dublin.

“He’s an aggressive, mad individual. He has a very bad history,” said the garda source.

Senior officers hope they will be able to link him to the murder from tests on the victim’s body.

“We are hoping to connect him through the forensic and DNA tests currently being carried out,” said the garda source.

Essalhi, who had addresses across north and west Dublin over the years, had more than 20 convictions.

In 2009, he was jailed for a year after he was caught possessing an iron bar with the intention of assaulting a man he suspected of sexually assaulting a female friend.

His defence counsel told the court at the time his client had a traumatic childhood marked by violence at home and had a serious drink problem.