Gardai believe an Eastern European man may have been knifed to death at a house in a drink-fuelled row.
The victim, named locally as Juris Viktorovs and originally from Latvia, was fatally stabbed a number of times at the property in Ballyconnell in Wicklow, on Thursday evening at around 8.15pm.
Gardai probing the suspected murder believe there was a gathering with a number of people present there.
The house is lived in by the victim’s partner, who is local to the area.
There was an altercation and when the situation escalated Mr Viktorovs, 36, was stabbed.
A source said: “Gardai are looking to establish what exactly happened.
“It’s early in the investigation but this man was stabbed a number of times and suffered a shocking death.”
The alarm was raised on Thursday night but by the time gardai had arrived, Mr Viktorovs was dead.
Gardai arrested a man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s at the scene.
They remained in custody on Friday night as the Garda inquiry continued.
The scene of the killing is on the Wicklow border with Carlow.
Mr Viktorovs lived in Tullow, just a short few minutes away, for some time.
He has been in a relationship with the woman who occupies the house where he was killed since October of last year.
The townland of Ballyconnell were stunned by the news.
Locals did not know the victim of the attack but said it was totally uncharacteristic of the area.
One woman said: “It’s very sad. I wouldn’t know the man and I don’t think anyone around does really.
“But it’s just really shocking that it happened.
“I only realised after 9pm on Thursday night that something had happened when I looked out the window and saw the blue lights.”
Cllr Vincent Blake echoed what those in the small community were saying.
He said: “Shock is the first word that comes to mind in regards to what happened here.
“People here just talk about sport, the local school here, the church and so forth, things of that nature is what comes to people’s minds, not something of this nature is ever associated with it.
“So really it’s a tragedy.”
on Friday, a technical examination of the scene took place by the Garda Technical Bureau.
The body was then removed from the scene just after 2pm and now a post mortem is set to take place.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Garda in Baltinglass are appealing to any person who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them.
“Anyone who was in the village of Ballyconnell yesterday or any person who noticed any unusual activity in Ballyconnell yesterday evening is asked to contact investigating Gardaí.
Any person who was in the village of Ballyconnell last night between 7pm and 8.15pm and who may have camera footage of the area is asked to make this available. Similarly, if any road user was travelling in the area and who may has camera (including dash cam) footage is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí.
“Any person with any information which may be relevant to the Garda investigation should contact Baltinglass Garda Station on 059 648 2610, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
“Investigations are ongoing.”
