Gardai are investigating after the man who was found naked and badly injured under the stairs of a property in which he was staying in the early hours of Friday morning has died in hospital, on Christmas Eve.
He has been named locally as Brian Reynolds, aged in his 40s, who owned Kits Stop N Shop on the Rathmullen Park area of Drogheda
A number of men broke into a property where he was staying in the St Finians Park area of Drogheda, county Louth, and attacked him with hammers.
The savage attack is believed to be linked to the discovery of a large quantity of stolen cigarettes in the town earlier in the week.
A source revealed, ‘This guy copped the blame for the discovery of the cigarettes, he was staying with a close relative as they were very ill and he was looking after them, and his attackers knew where to find him.
‘The relative was upstairs in bed and heard the screams as the attack happened.
‘They gave him a proper hiding, basically he had his knees smashed he was kneecapped without being shot.
‘This guy closed his business a few months back after cops and revenue found another large haul of smuggled cigarettes.’
A Garda spokesman said, ‘Gardaà are investigating all the circumstances of the death of a man who was discovered in County Louth with serious injuries on Thursday 22nd December 2022 and subsequently passed away on Saturday 24th December 2022.
‘The man, aged in his 40s, was discovered with serious injuries at approximately 7:30pm on Thursday 22nd December 2022 at a residence in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, County Louth.
He was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda where he passed away on the evening of Saturday 24th December 2022.
‘The office of the State Pathologist and local Coroner have been notified and a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Monday 26th December 2022, the results of which will assist in determining the course of the investigation.
‘A full technical examination of the scene at Rathmullen Park has been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit.
