Murdered woman had planned family life in Ireland

A Brazilian woman stabbed to death in a frenzied attack was planning to bring her children to Ireland to start a new life together, it emerged tonight.

Joselita da Silva’s bloodied body was found in an apartment in Co Offaly last night.

A man, who was also injured, was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment where he remains in garda custody.

It is understood the mother-of-three had been living in Ireland for around three years with her 17-year-old son Diego, but was to fly home to collect her remaining teenage children next week.

Isaias Silva, from the Brazilian community in Gort, said Diego had friends in the Co Galway community and would travel back and forth to Tullamore frequently.

“She had the ticket bought. She was going to collect the children to bring them back here .... to have a life here,” Mr Silva said.

Ms da Silva, believed to be in her 30s, was found dead in the apartment off Tara Street, Tullamore, at around 7pm yesterday with multiple stab wounds.

A man also received non-life threatening injuries and was arrested.

He was taken to Midlands Hospital in Tullamore for treatment where he remained under garda watch.

It is believed Ms da Silva came from the small town of Pires do Rio in central Brazil.

The apartment remained sealed off as garda forensic experts carried out an examination of the scene.

Independent councillor Johnny Butterfield said Ms da Silva’s neighbours were shocked at news of the violent killing.

“The strange thing about it is there was no real commotion. The neighbours were stunned by it as they didn’t hear any noise at all,” he said.