THE chief suspect for a brutal murder was arrested after he told an associate he’d killed a man — who then went to the Gardai.
Shane Knott, 36, was battered to death before his body was discovered in the back garden of a house in Naas, Co Kildare, at around 1.30pm on Sunday.
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Mr Knott — who is not from the area — suffered severe head injuries and cops believe he may have been beaten with a blunt instrument.
And investigators, who were tonight awaiting post-mortem results, fear he may have been dead for days before his body was found.
Officers made the grim discovery after a man walked into a Dublin Garda station saying the suspect told him he had killed a man.
They contacted their colleagues in Naas who rushed to the Eustace Demesne estate in the town and forced entry into a property.
The chief suspect, who is aged in his 40s, was then arrested on Sunday after 7pm. He was still being quizzed by cops tonight.
The Irish Sun has learned he has admitted to carrying out the attack on Mr Knott, who he knew — but claims he did it in self-defence.
Cops reckon a personal row led to the death of Mr Knott, who had previously been reported missing.
A source said: “The victim in this case was severely beaten and had sustained serious head injuries.
“The suspect in the case told an associate he had killed a man. This man passed that information on to the Gardai who then made the discovery and the arrest.”
The suspect is well known to the Gardai and had been previously homeless. It’s understood he also had addiction issues.
He can be held by cops for 24 hours but that does not include breaks.
Officers will consult with the DPP on whether to charge or release the suspect once they are finished quizzing him.
Locals unaware
Meanwhile, a resident in the Eustace Demesne estate told how locals were totally unaware of what had happened until cops turned up on Sunday.
The woman, who asked not to be named, told The Irish Sun: “No one had a clue what was happening when the guards turned up and went into the house.
“It was a few hours later that you could see the man being arrested and brought away in the Garda car.”
Gardai today canvassed the area as residents passed over their Ring doorbell footage.
Autopsy due
And sources said they were investigating if the weapon had been dumped in the area, with officers searching nearby bins.
A Garda spokesman said an autopsy was due to take place on Mr Knott’s body today and “the results of which will determine the course of the Garda investigation”.
He added: “The scene remains preserved for technical examination.
“A man in his 40s has been arrested as part of this investigation and he is currently being detained at a Garda station in Co Kildare under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
“No further information is available at this time.”
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