Man found dead in the back garden of house in estate may have lain undiscovered for days

Gardaí investigating the murder of a man found in the back garden of a house in Naas may have lain dead for days.

Shane Knott (36) is believed to have been beaten and sustained blows to the head.

His body was discovered in the garden of a house in the Eustace Demesne estate on the outskirts of the Co Kildare town at around 1.30pm on Sunday.

A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and gardaí are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation.

The alarm was raised when a man called to a Dublin garda station and reported that a person related to him had killed another man.

Gardaí are awaiting the results of a post-mortem on the victim to establish when he was killed.

Mr Knott, who is believed to have lived in the Tallaght area, but had possible connections to Rathcoole, was reported missing by his family recently.

Shocked neighbours told how gardaí arrived at the mid-terrace house and gained access.

They later saw a man being escorted out the front door to a waiting garda car and being driven away.

Members of the garda technical bureau carried out an extensive search and forensic examination of the scene, which involved emptying and searching all the bins on the street and in adjoining streets in the quiet estate. It is believed they were searching for the weapon used in the attack on Mr Knott.

House-to-house enquiries were carried out and CCTV footage is also being examined.

A field at the back of the housing estate has also been combed over “inch by inch”, according to neighbours.

Neighbours said they were shocked to learn of the news of the suspicious death of Mr Knott, who is thought to have been visiting the house.

One neighbour said they heard no disturbance at the property and the first they learned of the murder was when gardaí arrived.

“They arrived at lunchtime. The man was escorted away at around 5.30pm and the body was taken away at around 7.30pm. Two dogs that are kept at the house were also taken away,” said the neighbour.

“We didn’t see or hear anything suspicious before that. It was all quite a shock. The man who lives there is the only occupant of the house I think, but there would be others calling there regularly.”

The suspect is being detained at a garda station in Co Kildare under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

‘Mr Knott, who is believed to have lived in the Tallaght area, was reported missing by family’