OAP found ‘battered to death next to husband who was dead in water trough surrounded by poison next to badly injured man’
Couple's bodies found in isolated bungalow by police
AN ELDERLY woman was discovered beaten to death with an iron bar close to her husband whose body was found in an animal water trough surrounded by poison, police believe.
The Gardai discovered the bodies of Tom and Kitty Fitzgerald at a rural bungalow in Co Mayo, Ireland, yesterday.
Another man, in his 30s, was reportedly standing near Mr Fitzgerald’s corpse in a distressed state.
The younger man had suffered massive cuts to his head and neck and was tazered by cops after becoming agitated.
Mr Fitzgerald, in his late-70s, was a painter-decorator and a fervent Mayo GAA supporter.
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He was discovered slumped over the trough outside the isolated cottage in Knockadoon just after 3pm by gardai who haD been tipped off about a disturbance.
When officers entered the home, they found Mrs Fitzgerald, in her mid-60s, dead in a “bloodbath”.
It’s thought she was either stabbed to death or beaten with an iron bar, which was found at the scene.
A source told the Irish Sun: “The woman was slaughtered.
“It’s too early to say whether she was stabbed or beaten to death, but a blood-soaked iron bar was found there.”
Local parish priest Fr Martin O’Connor, from the Church of the Holy Family and St Oliver, told the Irish Sun last night: “I knew them well.
“Tom and Kitty were a part of the local community and very active in the church.
“Tom was a collecter and Kitty a former sacristan.
“They were salt-of-the-earth people, as we say around here. To be quite honest with you, I’m stuck for words.
“The shock of it — I was only talking to Tom on Sunday just gone.
“There was no sign of any concern to me anyway, he was his normal self.
“He was a jolly fella, a big football supporter who played for his local club Davitts in the past.”
The couple had one adopted son, Paul, who was also involved in the local community.
A Garda statement issued last night said: “We’re investigating all the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the bodies of a man, late-70s, and a woman, mid-60s, at a house in Irishtown, Claremorris, Co Mayo, this afternoon, Tuesday, November 1, 2016, shortly after 3pm.
“A man, late-30s, was also discovered at the scene with serious injuries. He was taken to Galway University Hospital.
“The Office of the State Pathologist has been notified and the bodies of the deceased remain at scene which has been preserved for technical examination.”
The injured man was later transferred to a hospital in Dublin.
Joe Reapy, of Davitts GAA Club, added: “Tom had a great spirit when it came to community matters. If anything was going on in the locality, Tom was sure to have a hand in it.
“It’s shocking hard to believe that this lovely couple are gone. I would see them every week. It was always great to meet them.”
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