Breakthrough in murdered soldier probe

GARDAÍ in Limerick yesterday made a major breakthrough in the murder investigation into the brutal death of retired soldier, Jimmy Boyce.

An 18 year-old man was arrested at a city centre address and is being held at Mayorstone Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which enables him to be held for 24 hours. Two males and two females, arrested in the same operation for withholding information, are being held at Henry Street, Roxboro Road and Shannon garda stations under Section 30 of the Criminal Justice Act.

The females are aged 36 and 21 and the men are aged 50 and 18.

Up to 30 gardaí under Supt Frank O’Brien carried out the arrest operation between 7.30am and 8.15am.

The body of Mr Boyce, 72, was discovered in an upstairs room of his home at St Munchin’s Street, St Mary’s Park on March 7 after neighbours raised the alarm when he was not seen for a number of days.

It is believed Mr Boyce was beaten to death with a blunt instrument and his body locked into an upstairs bedroom.

Gardaí will only say Mr Boyce died “a violent death” and are not releasing details of the cause as determined by the postmortem carried out by state pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy.

Mr Boyce served in the army from 1956 to 1962 and spent six months with an Irish UN contingent in the Congo in 1961. He was awarded a UN medal for his service there.

On leaving the army he emigrated to England. He returned to the family home in St Mary’s Park 16 years ago following the death of his mother Mary Ellen. As his brother Joseph was ill at the time he remained to look after him and never returned to England.

Mr Boyce was living alone at the old family home and was described by shocked neighbours as a very quiet man and one “of the old stock” of the parish.

Supt O’Brien said they had got a huge response from the local community.

Detectives examined hours of CCTV footage.