Gardaí have upgraded their investigation into a fatal assault on a pensioner in his home in Co Tipperary to a murder inquiry following the receipt of the results of a postmortem examination on the deceased man.
Investigators are not releasing the results of State Pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers’ postmortem on the body of Teddy Murnane (81) for operational reasons, but it is understood he suffered blunt force trauma injuries to the head.
Mr Murnane was found with head injuries near a shed at his home at St Michael’s Avenue, Tipperary town, by his wife, Margaret at around 9.35pm on Friday. She had gone to look for him after he failed to return indoors when he went to check on a noise he had heard outside.
The emergency services were called and paramedics worked on Mr Murnane at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. He was put on a ventilator but died over the weekend.
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The funeral of Mr Murnane, a father of three, will take place in Tipperary town on Friday.
Locals joined Fr Eugene Everard on Tuesday night for a prayer vigil for Mr Murnane outside the family home on St Michael’s Avenue.
Fine Gael Cllr John Crosse said that people were both shocked and devastated at the news of Mr Murnane’s death. He said he was well known and well regarded in Tipperary town through his work as bus driver with Kavanagh Coaches.
A staunch Tipperary GAA fan, Mr Murnane used to drive Tipperary hurling and football teams all over the country for both league and championship matches. He continued to follow the Premier County teams after he retired from driving them to games.
Sean Harding (31) from Marian Terrace, Tipperary town, made his second court appearance in relation to the assault on Mr Murnane when he appeared at Thurles District Court by video link on Wednesday morning.
Mr Harding was charged with assault causing harm to Mr Murnane at his home at St Michael’s Avenue, Tipperary town, Co Tipperary, on September 12th when he appeared at Nenagh District Court last Monday and had been remanded by Judge Fiona Brennan to appear at Thurles District Court on Wednesday.
Judge Adrian Harris remanded Mr Harding in continuing custody on the assault charge and on three burglary charges to appear by video link at Tipperary District Court sitting in Thurles on September 24th for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
