Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DECAPITATED WITH AN AXE » »
Neighbour makes gruesome discovery Suspect arrested after police manhunt
A MOTHER of two suffered a barbaric death yesterday when a crazed attacker decapitated her with an axe.
The horrific murder of Elzbieta Piotrowska, 57, in Ardee, Co Louth, was discovered when a friend called to her home and found her body.
It is believed her killer, who is thought to have been known to her, launched a devastating assault and sources revealed she suffered horrendous injuries.
Gardai rushed to the scene in the Clonmore estate at 11.30am but the attacker had fled.
A man in his 30s was arrested two hours later in what is understood to have been his girlfriend’s house.
A source said: “This was a gruesome scene – a lot of implements have been found in the house but it is believed the murder weapon was an axe.
“That has been discovered. It is believed the suspect fled to a number of locations before he was eventually arrested by armed gardai following a manhunt.
“Elzbieta had been living in Ireland for 10 years – she had a son and a daughter. Her husband was at work when this incident happened.
“The discovery was made by a caller to the house who then alerted another neighbour who called gardai.”
The victim, who used the name Elizabeth on Facebook, was renting the house with her husband.
Her son was living nearby and she has a daughter living in Poland.
INQUIRIES
The man, who was arrested by gardai at Bridge Street in Ardee, was being quizzed last night at Drogheda Garda station.
Earlier, there was a frantic manhunt with officers sealing off a number of scenes in the town and another property 8km away at Mandistown.
A source added: “The suspect is in custody in Drogheda Garda station and is understood to be co-operative and very calm.
“He is also a Polish national and an interpreter has been provided to him.”
Speaking at Ardee Garda station, Supt Des Mctiernan appealed for witnesses but reassured people living in the area a suspect had been arrested.
He said: “At 11.30am gardai responded to a serious incident in the Clonmore estate, Ardee.
“When we got there we found a female with very serious injuries who was later pronounced dead at the scene. We have that scene preserved and we have our technical bureau endeavouring to establish the facts as they happened.
“We have the State Pathologist on the way and we have all the structures and investigative inquiries initiated.
“We have a number of other scenes we have a significant interest in.
“One is in the Bridge Street area of the town, another is in Cherrybrook and one in Drumconrath in the Mandistown area of that townland.” Supt Mctiernan added gardai are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing.
He said: “We so far have one person arrested, we are not looking for anyone else. There are a number of other people assisting our investigation and our inquiries are being conducted in Ardee and in Drogheda Garda station.
“We have an incident room set up at the station and I suppose at this moment in time I am appealing for people to bear with us – we have somebody in custody. We are not looking for anyone else and we are quite anxious to get on with the investigation and bring it to a conclusion bearing in mind the tragic circumstances of it. I am happy this investigation is contained – I don’t anticipate that it is going anywhere else.”
He appealed for help from the public who may have seen the attacker moving around the area.
Supt Mctiernan added: “Ardee is great for people coming forward, that hasn’t changed, and yes we are dealing with witnesses who have come forward. “I am appealing for anyone else to come forward with other information. We are very much open to information and that is what we are appealing for here.”
Locals said the violent killing had left the town “stunned and saddened”.
Fine Gael councillor Dolores Minogue added: “The town is shocked and stunned, not that a lady has died in our town but the violent death she suffered and I think that’s what has shockedthe people.
“Everyone is saddened that it happened and on behalf of the town all
ARDEE YESTERDAY