Army hero, 72, ‘ferociously beaten to death’

A 72-YEAR-OLD army hero whose body was discovered in his Limerick home on Monday was “ferociously beaten to death”, gardaí confirmed last night.

Speaking as a murder investigation began, a Garda spokesman revealed how bachelor James Boyce was beaten in the hall, dragged upstairs and locked into a bedroom of his home in St Munchin’s Street, St Mary’s Park, Limerick.

Local councillor John Gilligan revealed how Mr Boyce was found on Monday after meals-on-wheels staff entered the house when the pensioner did not answer. “They discovered him in an upstairs bedroom. There was blood in the hallway and he appeared to have been locked into the bedroom.”