Family pays tribute to slain mum and daughter
Those were the items brought yesterday to the home in Killorglin, Co Kerry, of Lithuanian woman Jolanta Lubiene, 27, and her daughter, Enrika, 8, by next of kin.
All were handed to a garda on duty at the scene, 9 Langford Downs, by Jolanta’s husband and Enrika’s father Marius Lubys; her sister Kristina Kuleviciene, and Kristina’s husband Vaidas Kulevicius.
Still clearly dazed, the trio remained outside the taped-off house for a couple of minutes, reflected in silence, and then drove off again.
Mr Lubys has been working in Sweden for the past six months and returned on Monday after being told of the tragedy, which was discovered on Sunday night.
Members of the Kerry Garda Divisional Search Team yesterday continued their search for the murder weapon, believed to be a knife as the victims had severe stab wounds.
Using a variety of implements, including shovels, strimmers, chainsaws, rakes, and pikes, the team got to work on systematically cutting grass on the front lawn and at the rear of the semi-detached house in their quest for the weapon and vital clues.
They also cut back a line of palm trees on a 400m section of roadway leading out of the estate. A field behind the house will be finecombed in the intensive search operation at the scene and surrounds, which is expected to continue until tomorrow.
Four Garda vehicles were parked outside the peach-coloured house for much of the day as forensic experts continued their examination inside. Initial investigators faced a gruesome scene as they came upon Jolanta’s body, which had multiple stab wounds, in the kitchen area, while Enrika was in an upstairs landing.
Autopsy examinations by Dr Margot Bolster, the assistant State pathologist, concluded at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee at lunchtime yesterday.
Gardaí refused to reveal the results, only saying they confirmed violent deaths, which led to the upgrading of the investigation to murder status.
Superintendent Flor Murphy was circumspect at a short briefing for reporters outside Killarney Garda Station, and declined to answer most of the specific questions put to him.
He would not say what kind of murder weapon they were looking for, or where Jolanta had been shopping in Killorglin shortly before she was last seen at 1.50pm on Saturday.
It is believed she shopped in Aldi in the town centre at around midday, having worked that morning at St Joseph’s Nursing Home, outside the town.
Gardaí have stressed the importance of tracing Jolanta’s movements on Saturday afternoon, and are aiming to collate all relevant details that might lead them to the killer. A friend who called to the house and got no response on Sunday raised the alarm.
Supt Murphy would not say if they had any leads, but strongly appealed to the public to assist the gardaí and provide any information that might be of help.
A theory being explored by detectives is that Jolanta knew her killer. As there were no signs of a forced entry to the house, she may have admitted the person in without any reservations.
Meanwhile, mourners yesterday continued to bring flowers to the scene in the normally peaceful Langford Downs, while some residents kept a close watch on Garda activity and on the comings and goings of others, generally members of the media.
Some residents could be seen peering discretely from behind curtains or from upstairs windows.
Around 150 members of the Lithuanian and Polish communities in the area were still trying to come to terms with the murders, which have shocked the entire community.
