Gardaí investigating the murder of a man whose remains were found late on Sunday night are hopeful that discussions with the dead man's wife may shed light on his final movements.
The man, 55-year-old Pat Burke, Ballybrittas, Co Laois, was found dead at his home at about 10.40pm on Sunday. Gardaí said he had sustained a number of wounds to the head. They believe a hammer found at the scene was the murder weapon.
The dead man's wife was found in a collapsed state next to her husband. She had suffered knife wounds to both arms and was taken to the Midlands Hospital, Portlaoise, before being transferred to St James's Hospital, Dublin, yesterday afternoon.
She remained in St James's last night but detectives were hopeful she will be well enough today to speak to them about the events leading to her husband's death.
Gardaí were alerted to the incident when one of the couple's four children came home on Sunday evening and saw no sign of his parents. He looked around the house and found his father dead in a downstairs bedroom and his mother close by.
He alerted the emergency services immediately and gardaí and an ambulance were on the scene within minutes.
Gardaí believe Mr Burke may have been killed some time late on Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday morning, but that both he and his injured wife lay undiscovered until late on Sunday. However, the timing of the killing is as yet unconfirmed.
Mr Burke's wife was admitted to hospital in Portlaoise last Wednesday. She was released into the care of her family on Friday evening.
Gardaí have described the case and the family circumstances as "tragic".
The hammer believed to be the murder weapon was taken by gardaí for forensic examination, along with a bloodied knife and a note found at the scene.
Gardaí said there had been some "coming and going" at the house on Saturday night, with members of the Burke family's extended family travelling between Ballybrittas and another house in Portarlington.
Gardaí have appealed for neighbours and anyone who was in the house to come forward.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Supt Philip Lyons confirmed the alarm had been raised by an occupant of the house and there had not been a break-in.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy arrived with members of the Garda technical bureau shortly after 11.30am yesterday to carry out an examination.
The small, two-storey house with a single-storey extension to the rear was neat and well presented.
Upstairs windows were open and gardaí had erected a screen around the front door at the side of the house.
Mr Burke was a well-known figure in Ballybrittas and nearby Killenure, where he worked as a handyman for a local convent. His wife was well known in the local shops.
Many people in Ballybrittas appeared too shocked to speak about the incident. Some men in the Final Furlong bar said they were acquainted with both Mr and Mrs Burke, although they had not been seen in the bar for some time.