Murder victim was from well known Sligo family
The murder of 30 year old Patrick Ward in an alleyway in a County Tyrone housing estate has shocked the local community and also Sligo where he lived for many years at the former family home in Joe McDonnell Drive, Cranmore.
Patrick, a married father of four childeren, was son of Tom and Bridget Ward who lived at McDonnell Drive for many years before moving in the recent past to Enniskillen. They had also been living in Ballymote for a short period.
Other family members including Patrick also left Sligo and had settled in McCrea Park, Clogher, County Tyrone.
His wife is thought to be originally from the Limerick area and the couple have four children.
It is also believed he and his family had been in England for some time and had only recently returned to County Tyrone a few days before he was brutally murdered.
Patrick was found by police in the alleyway around 8.15am last Saturday morning.
Members of the Ward family were well known in the Cranmore area and many of Tom and Bridget’s sons played football or boxing.
A man and a woman, aged 22 and 33 respectively were arrested on suspicion of murder and are being questioned by police.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter McKenna, from the PSNI’s Major Investigation Team, said: “I am appealing for anyone who was in the area of McCrea Park last Saturday night or early next morning and who witnessed any unusual activity or anyone with any information that can assist my investigation to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference 403 09/02/19.”