Pictured: Dad-of-two Gardai suspect was murdered in Wexford as friends recall 'character'

It's suspected that John King-O’Connor was beaten and kicked to death

By: irishmirror.ie

Jan 02 2025
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Pictured: Dad-of-two Gardai su

This is the tragic father of two who gardai suspect was murdered in his own home in Co Wexford.

Our picture shows John King-O’Connor (58) who gardai suspect was brutally beaten and kicked to death by a convicted criminal in his home in New Ross, Co Wexford on New Years Eve.

Mr King-O’Connor was described by locals as a “character” and was well known within the area. Speaking to the Irish Mirror, local councillor John Dwyer, who knew Mr King O’Connor told us: “John would have been one of the most innocuous men I ever met. He was a character on the streets of New Ross. He was totally harmless.

“He was a well known character in the town. He would say hello to people and get his bits and pieces every day and go home. I would have last seen him a week and a half ago. He was in great spirits.”

Gardai suspect that Mr King O’Connor knew his attacker - and may even had let him into his home on New Years Eve. The criminal being quizzed over his murder is well known to gardai and has more than 50 previous convictions.

The suspect has to be charged or released by Thursday by investigating Gardaí. A second man, also aged in his 30s, was arrested as part of the probe on Tuesday night – but he was released without charge on Wednesday night.

A short time later, Gardaí arrested a man in the area and he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting Mr King-O'Connor, pending a full post-mortem. There were no serious injuries visible to Mr King-O’Connor and Gardaí feared he may have died of a heart attack following the assault.

But the post-mortem, which was carried out on Wednesday, showed that Mr King-O’Connor died from internal injuries caused by a sustained attack – and the case was upgraded to murder.

Gardaí confirmed the developments in a statement on Wednesday. It said: “Gardaí continue to investigate the death of a man in his 60s following an incident that occurred in New Ross, Co. Wexford Tuesday, 31st December 2024. The man, aged in his 30s, arrested in connection with the incident remains in Garda custody.

“A second man, aged in his 30s, was arrested yesterday evening, Tuesday 31st December, 2024 and is currently detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. The Office of the State Pathologist and local Coroner have been notified and a post-mortem examination is due to take place this morning.

Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses to contact them and are seeking any available camera footage, including dashcam recordings, from those who were in the vicinity of Cluain Fada, New Ross at the time of the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact New Ross Garda Station on 051 426030 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111."

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