Postmortems begin on bodies of couple stabbed in Cork

Postmortems have begun on the bodies of a couple who died from stab wounds at their home in Cork on Sunday.

Michael and Valerie Greaney were both found dead in the family home at O'Neill Place in Cobh when gardaí called to the house on Sunday afternoon at about 3.30pm. Mr Greaney was aged 53 and his wife was 49.

Assistant State pathologist Dr Margot Bolster began her postmortems on the bodies at the morgue in Cork University Hospital at 10am.

The couple’s eldest daughter, Michelle aged 21 was found with a single stab wound to the chest lying on the roadway outside the house after fleeing the two-storey terraced house.

Paramedics worked on her at the scene for up to 30 minutes before she was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where she remains in critical but stable condition.

The alarm was raised by the couple’s younger daughter, Sarah – aged 16 – after her mother sent her to a neighbour’s house to tell them to contact gardaí.

Sarah was said to be deeply traumatised by the incident and was last night being comforted by relatives but gardaí hope to speak to her over the coming days about what happened.

Michael Greaney had been released from the Central Mental Hospital in Dublin in November and returned to the family home in Cobh and was said to be in good form over Christmas.

He was found with a single stab wound in an upstairs room of the house and gardai recovered a knife nearby while his wife was found in the hallway with several stab wounds.

Dr Bolster carried out a preliminary examination of both bodies at the scene last night before they were removed to CUH for postmortems today.

A garda technical team also carried out a forensic examination of the scene and gardaí carried out door to door inquiries as they try to piece together what exactly happened at the house.

Garda Supt John Quilter, who is heading up the investigation described the deaths as “a family tragedy” and said gardaí were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

A physiotherapist with a practice in Cobh, Mr Greaney was also a minister of the Eucharist at St Colman’s Cathedral and had served communion at Christmas Day morning mass.

The Bishop of Cloyne, Dr William Crean spoke of his shock at the deaths and called for prayers for all those affected by the tragedy.

“I was deeply shocked to hear of the deaths of Michael and Valerie Greaney and the serious injuries suffered by their daughter, Michelle. I ask the faithful of the diocese to pray for all of those affected by these sad events,” said Bishop Crean.

“May the light of Christ, whose coming into the world we celebrate at Christmas, help to guide us through this great darkness which has fallen on the community of Cobh, and on the diocese as a whole.”