Gardaí remove elderly stabbing victim's body for post mortem

The body of an elderly man found dead in south Dublin earlier has been removed to the City Morgue shortly where a post mortem examination will be carried out in the morning.

The remains of the man in his early seventies were discovered when emergency services attended a fire at a retirement home on Ravensdale Close in Kimmage at 2pm this afternoon.

Gardaí have confirmed that the dead man had a stab wound to his chest.

It is believed the fire was started deliberately in order to conceal evidence.

The man was found dead in bed and it is believed the knife was discovered at the scene.

Investigators urged anyone who may have been in the area in the hours leading up to the discovery of the body to contact gardi in Crumlin.

The scene remains sealed off tonight, and the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Khalid Jaber, has carried out a preliminary investigation.

Local councillor Ruairi McGinley said the small flat complex was usually a very quiet area.

“It will be a surprise and a shock for the people there,” said Mr McGinley, of Fine Gael.

“Many of them are very elderly and are 80 years and upwards.

“You certainly wouldn’t expect anything like that there. People wouldn’t be walking through it.

“My sympathies go out to the man’s family and his friend.”

Residents said they were shocked by the man’s death, which one described as a total tragedy.

“He wouldn’t do no harm to nobody,” said one man.

“It’s very sad.”

Neighbour George McGreal told RTE: “Everybody’s shocked, you wouldn’t believe anything like that could happen, especially next door to you.

“It’s a very quiet area.”

The dead man lived opposite the Black Horse Inn on Ravensdale Park, Kimmage.

Staff, who only knew the victim by his first name, said he had moved in to the area about 12 – 18 months ago.

“He was not a regular but he’d come in sometimes and look at the racing,” said one barman.

“He was an ordinary old lad that came in and had a few pints and watched the racing, that was it.

“All of the older men here knew him and lived over there too.”