The body of a woman who was stabbed multiple times in a frenzied attack was discovered after the chief suspect allegedly told gardai he killed her.
Investigators found Maud Coffey, who was aged in early 40s, at her residence at the Horizon apartment block in Ashtown, West Dublin.
Sources said officers arrived at the “horrifying” and “gruesome” scene at around 10am yesterday.
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The chief suspect – who was being quizzed on suspicion of murder – had earlier gone on a lengthy outburst at a nearby bus stop.
The man, in his 50s, referenced the “apostles”, made sexual references and used racist slurs around 8.20am.
Witnesses told how their children, who were on the way to school, were left “terrified” and “scared” before one rang the gardai.
The man along with others got on the bus but it’s understood the vehicle waited for gardai to arrive.
After he was detained under the Mental Health Act, the man claimed he killed a woman and in their follow up inquiries, the body was found.
The chief suspect is a man from Dublin and has a history of mental illness. The Irish Mirror has learned in recent days a concerned woman asked gardai to do a welfare check on the man but he was not at his property when it was conducted.
A source said: “The suspect in the case has serious mental health issues and people known to him were concerned about his welfare.
“After he went on a rant at a bus stop, gardai detained him.
“He spoke to them and it led to the discovery of the body.”
After being brought for medical treatment, the man was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder.
Gardai are not looking for anyone else in relation to the killing.
Tanya Murphy, who lives in the apartment block across from Maud, witnessed the man’s rant.
She told the Irish Mirror: “I had to take my kids off the bus this morning.
“There was a woman there who he was giving racist abuse to. Then he was going on about how much he hates women.
“He was saying that he had to go somewhere to do something about his girlfriend.
“But his language was vile like. He made it known how much he hated women at the bus stop.
“He was saying he was going home to drink wine because Jesus Christ said that’s what to do.”
Another witness said: “We saw the man at the bus stop and my friend had to ring the guards.
“He was saying vile things to the mothers and children there.
“He was then talking about the devil and all the kids were scared, so my friend rang the guards.
“The guards came to the bus stop. I was sitting at the back of the bus, he was sitting at the front. I was scared to get off because he was acting very strange. I was talking to Maud before Christmas, I saw her on the bus. She was just lovely.”
Maud was a “vulnerable” woman according to people in the area but she was always friendly.
Ms Murphy added: “I’m shocked because the woman was harmless, she wouldn’t harm a fly.
“She went about her business, she was great with the kids in the area.
“She used to go around with the kids and draw on the road with chalk.
“She also used to go around picking up all the rubbish. She was very quiet but she was great.
“There’s never been anything like it. It’s horrible.”
Yesterday, the body was removed from the scene to the City Morgue.
A postmortem will be carried out by State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan today.
The scene remained preserved last night after the Garda Technical Bureau conducted their examination.
A Garda spokesman said: “A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
“He is currently being detained at Finglas Garda Station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.”
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