LAST UPDATE | 2 Dec 2022

GARDAÍ CONTINUE TO investigate the murder of a 60-year-old man in Co Monaghan yesterday, as inquiries continue around whether the death of a second man is linked.

The body of Christopher Mooney was discovered at a house at Knockreagh Lower, Broomfield, Co. Monaghan, yesterday morning – an area around 8km to the south of Castleblayney and close to the border.

Gardaí confirmed this evening that Mooney had suffered a violent death.

It’s understood that Mooney was previously convicted and jailed for sexual offences against a young male.

Meanwhile, another man died later the same day in a road traffic collision on the nearby N53 Castleblayney to Dundalk road at the Ballynacarry bridge, which is situated directly on the border between Monaghan and Armagh. 

This man has been named locally as Kieran Hamill (37).

Detectives are investigating whether Hamill, killed in the road collision, had also been at the scene of the stabbing.

It’s understood that one line of investigation is that the suspect was hit by the car after leaving the scene of Mooney’s death.

There is a distance of around two kilometres between the residential premises where Mooney’s body was found, and the area where Hamill was involved in a fatal collision with a vehicle.

A Garda spokesperson said that the results of a post-mortem due to take place today will determine the course of the investigation

Meanwhile, Gardaí are appealing for anyone who was in the Broomfield area between 5am and 6:45am yesterday morning – particularly anyone with mobile phone footage or dashcam footage – to contact investigators at Castleblayney Garda Station.

There is also an appeal for any witnesses to the road traffic collision to come forward.

Any road users who were travelling in the vicinity of the N53 yesterday morning, and who have camera footage, including dash-cam, are asked to make it available to gardaí.

Speaking to The Journal yesterday, Castleblayney councillor Aidan Campbell said it’s “very tragic news for the area”.

He offered his “heartfelt sympathies” to the families involved and to the “blue light services dealing with this”.

Campbell added that it is his understanding that the two deaths are connected, and urged anyone who has any information to come forward to gardaí.