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The body of the man is removed from where it was found on fire near the Wellington Monument in Phoenix Park, Dublin. Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

Murder investigation launched after man’s body “engulfed by fire” in park

Gardai are still treating the death as suspicious as post-mortem continues on his burned body.

Updated 23.07pm

A FULL MURDER investigation has been launched into the death of a man whose body was found in the Phoenix Park in Dublin in the early hours of this morning. Gardaí said the body was so badly burnt that the victim’s age could not be established.

The full results of the post mortem have now been passed on to the investigation team, but aren’t being made public for ‘operational reasons’.

Speaking at a briefing at the scene in the Phoenix Park earlier this evening, Garda Superintendent David Taylor said that the body was found in a sleeping bag but was so “engulfed by the fire” that it had proven impossible so far to tell what age the man was; only his gender has been confirmed.

The horrific find was made this morning at 1am near the Wellington Monument by a passing Garda patrol car. The officers spotted the blaze and alerted fire services as they attended the scene.

Superintendent Taylor said members of the Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene but “despite their best efforts, they could not save the man”.

Dr Marie Cassidy, the State pathologist visited the scene earlier today and carried out a preliminary examination, and a full post-mortem was later carried out at the city morgue.

Appeal

Gardaí are making a particular appeal to the homeless community or to anyone who might have a friend, relative or associate who lives homeless and has not been seen in the last 24 hours.

“We do understand that people have a lifestyle that they may be uncomfortable coming to the Garda Síochana but I can assure you, the information that you may have will be treated in the strictest of confidence,” Taylor said in his appeal to the public this evening.

The superintendent said it was still not known how the fire started:

(Video: TheJournal.ie/YouTube)

Anyone who might have been in the area of Wellington Road in the major Dublin park between 4pm yesterday and 1am this morning is asked to ring Cabra Garda station on 01 6667400 or any garda station.

- additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy and Daragh Brophy.

Simon Community: Phoenix Park death highlights vulnerability of homeless>
Scene where man died in early morning fire>

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    Mute Neil Carroll
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:01 PM

    Just when I thought id heard it all, if this is murder hang the f.;:er when caught…. poor guy iv been homeless and you get treated like s^/t because you’ve been dealt a bad hand. R.I.P fella prayer said for you.

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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Nov 29th 2013, 5:59 PM

    Terrible end to meet..God love him. RIP.

    593
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    Mute DurkaDurkaDurka
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:45 PM

    Do we know was he killed by burning or burned post-mortem?

    45
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    Mute Itsthe Law
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:53 PM

    What kind of a fool vote’s down a R I P comment.

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    Mute Johnny Magory
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:55 PM

    I have said this many times. The journal should only allow red thumbs with a comment

    92
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:29 PM

    This was for Kevin Denny’s crass comment below.

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    Mute ThomasFrancisMeagher
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:00 PM

    Hopefully this was a tragic accident & the lowlifes involved in that horrific incident with the horse haven’t moved onto people. RIP to the poor man.

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    Mute Fergal Reid
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:14 PM

    It goes without saying that this would have been a truly barbaric murder; the sort that a life sentence wouldn’t be long enough for.

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    Mute Damo
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    Nov 29th 2013, 9:08 PM

    Stuff like this is happening because there is no justice in this country only law. We need to bring back a little healthy fear, fear in the Gardaí to a point and fear from the courts. People can do what they want because they know there is no real punishment. It is very hard to get locked up on this island and if you are locked up you will be out in no time. I think that we need punishment not PC crap. A poor man is dead and he died in an horrific fashion, life is too cheap and it just gets cheaper. We need to stand up now. Shatter should be demanding more Gardaí now, a new prison to lock these animals up. If a TD was attacked in the street the Dail would be up in arms. What is the chance that this will even get a mention by that house of morons.

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    Mute Pablo
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    Nov 29th 2013, 9:20 PM

    Here fu€king here. I’m sick of it.

    118
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    Mute Kathleen Priestley
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:01 PM

    Words fail me at the level of Ireland by some humans against their fellow humans and animals. Why are there some down thumbs at this man’s horrendous death. Every day there are murders and we just all take it for granted nowadays.
    Animals are horrifically treated my morons, what has happened to these children for them to grow up and be so evil.

    That gentleman although a horrible death, is now at peace and out of this disgusting world

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:28 PM

    I think it might be because people are speculating. I hope this was an accident otherwise we have an extremely dangerous and twisted individual going around.

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    Mute Siobhan Nowlan
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:17 PM

    sorry Kathleen …I touched red thumb to see what idiots disliked… but it seems it can’t be undone..

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    Mute Shaunagh Hickey
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:35 PM

    The poor person. RIP

    109
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    Mute Mary Fitzsimons
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:41 PM

    There are 5,000 people homeless in Ireland right now.

    101
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    Mute Niamh Byrne
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:43 PM

    Why is that comment controversial? It’s the truth.

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    Mute Anto Harris
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:48 PM

    Hard to know the reason for that Niamh……

    23
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    Mute Leah Freeman
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:47 PM

    Another horrific incident on our doorstep. Scary to think what kind of sick, psychopathic animals are out there walking amongst us. God bless the victim.

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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:33 PM

    I think setting fire to the horse even if it was dead is utterly disgusting. Some people have no respect for themselves, other people or animals.

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    Mute Niamh Byrne
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:40 PM

    Agree Mary. Very sad. Although I feel slightly relieved that the horse wasn’t alive, it’s a horrible end to an animal.

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    Mute Ellie Geary
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:31 PM

    I would love to see members of the Government, under disguise, sleeping rough for 1 week, then something might change. They preach from the comforts of their lovely warm offices, and go home to luxurious houses, and ignore the problems that other citizens face. RIP that poor man, I suppose his suffering is now over, but he should never have had to suffer in the first place, this country is just getting worse!

    77
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    Mute Andrew Nolan
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:52 PM

    Run for office and change things, I’m going to do it. It starts at local level but it’s more effective than whinging on this site!

    68
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    Mute Ellie Geary
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:02 PM

    I couldn’t run for a bus! I know ‘whinging’ on this site won’t make a difference, but it is nice for people to be able to voice their frustrations. Sites like this will give you insight as to how people feel, knowledge is power, which could help you when you electioneer. Which party are you going running for?

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    Mute Martin Conway
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:33 PM

    It sounds like an accident. Sleeping bags go up in flames very quickly…..

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    Mute Si James Mombrun
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    Nov 29th 2013, 9:19 PM

    I work in the Dublin city centre and it never ceases to amaze and scare me when i read and see the aftermath of crime, it begs the question what’s next? off the top of my head there was that slashing on O’Connell Street the continuous assaults and murders. It’s not enough to just hit people these days it has to be utterly horrific and truly shocking for something in the legal system to take note. I work on Dawson street and when that deaf man killed that man who got killed by the bus he didn’t mean to kill him but it happens. Would love Dublin to be cleaned up but until all the methadone clinics are taken out of the city for example we will still be to nervous to go to Abbey Street where the luas stop is for obvious reasons. I really hope they find out exactly what happened to this man and find who is responsible because what’s next?

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    Mute Humary Brito
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:42 PM

    First a poor horse and now this man, what the heck is going on!!!

    68
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:48 PM

    Gardai have said the horse was dead before it was set on fire

    55
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    Mute Fintan O HEifernain
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    Nov 29th 2013, 6:52 PM

    How was it dead before it was set on fire if it died of it’s injuries from being set on fire??
    http://www.thejournal.ie/horse-set-on-fire-1196968-Nov2013/

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    Mute Niamh Byrne
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:13 PM

    Dermot is right, Gardai are now saying horse was dead before it was set alight, cold comfort for all the horses that are mistreated around the country. This article is a litany of acts animal cruelty. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/dspca-and-garda%C3%AD-at-odds-over-horse-cruelty-incident-1.1612069?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=dlvr.it

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    Mute Kathleen Priestley
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:14 PM

    So that’s OK then, no need to worry its only one of God’s creatures

    20
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:50 PM

    Who said no need to worry? I was merely pointing out that gardai have made a statement that the horse was dead before it was set alight as many people don’t seem to have heard that. Gardai also say that they never said the animal was burned alive. DSPCA don’t agree that the horse was dead when set alight and they dispute the Garda statement.

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    Mute margaret
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:55 PM

    Thank god for that. Please let it be that the man was also dead.

    41
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    Mute Martin Flood
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:30 PM

    Why is everyone assuming it’s murder? My first assumption was that a homeless guy had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette.

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    Mute ciara mckeown
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:52 PM

    Because they don’t launch full murder investigations for accidents

    118
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    Mute john bissett
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:15 PM

    Well the article does say a full murder investigation has been launched.

    56
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    Mute Pablo
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    Nov 29th 2013, 9:19 PM

    This is now a gutter country. Laws need to be changed immediately to put at least some kind of deterrent in place for the compete knacker that carried this vile disgusting act out.

    48
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    Mute Maurice Quille
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:32 PM

    There are documented cases of spontaneous human combustion, they are rare but it has happened.

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    Mute Roy De Meo
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:38 PM

    Why did that get thumbed down? Scientists aren’t sure exactly why it happens but yes, people can spontaneously combust.

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    Mute Paul Radburn
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:52 PM

    Arseh0le

    41
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    Mute Si James Mombrun
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    Nov 29th 2013, 9:22 PM

    What’s next?

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    Mute JP Carroll
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    Nov 29th 2013, 7:25 PM

    o well

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    Mute Jacqueline Mckenna
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    Nov 29th 2013, 8:08 PM

    very intelligent comment and contribution JP,,,,well said !!

    56
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