Gardaí investigating the murder of Irish Rail worker Ian Walsh are examining his social media activity for potential clues as to who killed him at his home over the bank holiday weekend.
Detectives have spent more than 100 hours trawling a number of platforms to establish if he had arranged online to meet someone over the weekend only for the encounter to turn violent.
Garda believe the lack of any sign of forced entry at Mr Walsh’s house suggests he either knew his killer or felt no threat admitting the person, or people, to his property in Carrick-on Suir, Co Tipperary.
Mr Walsh, a 49-year-old single man who lived alone, was found dead at around 3.30am on August 4th by gardaí. They were carrying out a check at the two-story property at Ravenswood, off the Cregg Road, after being contacted by his family who were concerned for his welfare.
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A native of Waterford, Mr Walsh used to travel to Waterford city a couple of time a week to visit his mother, Breda Forristal, at her home on Barrack Street. When he failed to visit her over the bank holiday weekend, family members became concerned.
Mr Walsh was found in the downstairs bathroom of the semidetached house in Ravenswood after suffering multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, where his body remained until it was examined by State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney.
Garda technical experts spent several days carrying out a forensic examination of the house which they hope will yield DNA and other evidence.
It is understood the murder weapon was not found in the house and the garda search for whatever was used to stab Mr Walsh subsequently moved to the river Suir, 1.5km away. Garda divers have carried out an extensive search more than one kilometre of the riverbed.
Gardaí are continuing to examine hundreds of hours of CCTV footage from homes in the Ravenswood and Cregg Road area as well as from commercial premises in Carrick-on-Suir town centre and approach roads into the town.
