Sameer Syed, who was due to stand trial next week for the murder of his wife Seema Banu and their children, has been found dead in prison.
The death of a prisoner has been confirmed by the Irish Prison Guard to the Irish Mirror.
The man, who was due to stand trial for the death of Seema Banu, 37, Asfira Riza, 11, and Faizan Syed, 6, is understood to have passed away in prison.
Read more: Slain Irish woman's family hit out at murderer's latest alleged offences and call for more jail time
Mr Syed, 38, of Grosvenor Lodge, Rathmines, Dublin 6, was found in his cell in the Midlands Prison on Thursday afternoon, the Irish Times reports.
A spokesperson from the Irish Prison confirmed the death, and said: “All deaths in custody’s are investigated by the Irish Prison Service, the Inspector of Prisons and An Garda Síochána, where circumstances warrant.
“The cause of death is determined by the Coroner office.”
An Garda Siochana have confirmed to the Irish Mirror that they are aware of the incident. A spokesperson said: “Gardai at Portlaoise were notified after a male inmate was discovered deceased at Midlands Prison Portlaoise this afternoon.
“A post-mortem will take place at a later date, the results of which will determine the course of enquiries. A report will be sent to the coroner.”
The cause of death has yet to be determined, but it is understood to be treated as a “tragic incident”.
The trial of Sameer Syed was due to take place at the Central Criminal Court next Wednesday for the murder of his family in Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 on October 28, 2020.
The bodies of Seema, Asfirda and Faizan were found at their home in Llewellyn Court, Rathfarnham, following reports from concerned neighbours.
Mr Syed was charged with three counts of murder at Dun Laoghaire District Court on November 2020.
On the anniversary of the tragic deaths, Ms Banu’s cousin told the Irish Mirror : “It’s been one year since they passed away, but the pain in our hearts has remained constant.
“We are going through a lot of pain by losing our precious gems of our family.
“Our hearts are not going to forget them till our last breath.”
The three were buried in the Muslim Cemetery in Newcastle, West Dublin.
Read more: Face of evil child killer as Santina Cawley's mum asks 'how could she do this to a little baby?’
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
