Gardaí suspect a man found dead in his home in rural Co Monaghan was murdered by another man who was then knocked down and killed by a car as he fled the scene.
The murdered man was named locally as Christopher Mooney (60), who was subjected to a sustained attack, including being stabbed, at his home in Knockreagh Lower, Broomfield, on Thursday morning.
The other man was named locally as 37-year-old Kieran Hamill, with an address in Culloville, Co Armagh.
Gardaí in Castleblayney were called to Mr Mooney’s home on Thursday morning after a family member who had gone to the house found him dead and saw another man leaving the scene.
About 30 minutes later, gardaí from Carrickmacross were alerted to a road traffic crash at Ballynacarry Bridge on the N53 between Castleblayney and Dundalk.
Mr Hamill had been walking on the road when he was hit by a car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Convictions and charges
Mr Mooney was convicted almost 20 years ago of sexual offences against a young male victim, according to The Irish Times.
The paper also reports that Mr Hamill was facing a number of charges including affray and assault causing harm to a woman. He had been scheduled to appear before the courts later this month over the affray offence, allegedly committed in Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, earlier this year.
Post-mortem examinations on both men are due to be conducted on Friday morning.
Gardaí said the results will determine the course of the investigation.
The house has been sealed to allow investigators from the Garda Technical Bureau to carry out an examination.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone who was in the Broomfield area, where Mr Mooney was killed, between 5am and 6.45am to contact them.
They have also urged any road users, especially those recording dashcam footage, who were around the scene of the crash before 7am on Thursday to come forward and share the footage.
