Progress made in inquiries into Romanian man's death

Gardai have made significant progress in their investigation of the death of a 21-year-old Romanian man whose body was stuffed in a suitcase and thrown into the Royal Canal in the north of Dublin city last month.

A small quantity of blood which may be related to the death has been found in a flat at a house on Strand Road, Sandy mount, in the south of the city, by a Garda forensics team. The blood is being analysed to see whether it came from the victim.

The Romanian man had at one time been a resident in another flat in the same house.

Det Supt Cormac Gordon of Fitzgibbon Street Garda station said gardai would interview managers at construction sites around Dublin where the man worked in an effort to get more information.

The man was identified after a Garda press conference last Thursday at which a photograph was released as well as details of his clothing. Late on Friday night, three Romanian men called into Fitzgibbon Street station and identified him by his clothing.

A Garda search at a flat in Sherrard Street, where it is believed he had been living, uncovered documents which confirmed their identification. A flat in which he had stayed on Mountjoy Square has also been investigated by the Garda.

Details of the man's identity will not be released until his dental records in Romania confirm it, after which his family will be informed. His dental details have already been forwarded to Interpol.

He is believed to have been dead for 10 to 12 days before being found in the canal and may have been in the water at least five days. People on their way to a football match at nearby Croke Park on July 15th have reported seeing the suitcase in the canal.

He died as a result of head injuries inflicted by a blunt instrument. It is believed he arrived at Rosslare in 1999 and had been working on building sites in Ireland since.

Anyone with information can contact the Garda at 1800 218 219.