A Brazilian woman stabbed to death in a knife attack in Co Offaly was planning to bring her children to Ireland to start a new life together, it emerged tonight.
Joselita da Silva, believed to be in her 30s, was found dead in the apartment off Tara Street, Tullamore, at around 7pm yesterday with multiple stab wounds.
A man, who was also injured, was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment where he remains in garda custody.
It is understood the mother-of-three had been living in Ireland for around three years with her 17-year-old son Diego, but was to fly home to collect her remaining teenage children next week.
Isaias Silva, from the Brazilian community in Gort, said Diego had friends in the Co Galway community and would travel back and forth to Tullamore frequently.
"She had the ticket bought. She was going to collect the children to bring them back here .... to have a life here," Mr Silva said.
The apartment remained sealed off as garda forensic experts carried out an examination of the scene.
Independent councillor Johnny Butterfield said Ms da Silva's neighbours were shocked at news of the
violent killing.
"The strange thing about it is there was no real commotion. The neighbours were stunned by it as they didn't hear any noise at all," he said.
The incident took place at an apartment off High Street at about 7pm.
Emergency services arrived on the scene at about 7.15pm after the alarm was raised by a third party.
They discovered the body of the 33-year-old mother of three on the floor of the apartment with multiple stab wounds to her stomach and chest.
The man who was also in the apartment was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore with superficial wounds to his hands, neck and stomach.
He remains in the hospital today where his condition was described as not life threatening. He is expected to be interviewed by gardaí later today.
It is understood both the man and woman were originally from Brazil.
Gardaí sealed off the apartment building on the corner of High Street and Tara Street and the adjacent car park as they examined the scene today. A knife believed to have been used in the murder has been recovered by gardaí.