Gardaí ‘treating Co Wicklow death as murder’

Gardaí in Co Wicklow are reportedly working on the assumption that the man whose body was found in the Glen of the Downs on Tuesday night was the victim of a murder.

Officially, the gardaí are treating the death as suspicious, but reports this morning say the victim had severe head injuries and may have been killed with a shotgun.

The reports said the dead man was Lithuanian and was almost naked when found lying face-down in a stream near Kilmacanogue.

A post mortem examination reportedly revealed that he had been dead for up to two weeks.

This morning’s reports said gardaí trying to identify the victim believe he may have been a Lithuanian national who had been working in Ireland until May.

He then moved to Dungannon, Co Tyrone, where he worked at a chicken-processing plant until three weeks ago, before coming back across the border with the intention of returning to his native country.

Gardaí are reportedly hoping that fingerprints will confirm his identity.

They are also carrying out inspections on a mobile phone and clothing found near the man’s body.