Gardai suspect Limerick woman Louise Muckell may have been victim of fatal assault

The woman, named locally as Louise Muckell, (50s), Cois Deel, Rathkeale, died at University Hospital Limerick on Wednesday, after gardai said she had been found with “serious injuries” around 8.30pm, at a residence at Cois Deel, Tuesday night.

The State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, was conducting a postmortem on the victim’s body Thursday, and the results of the autopsy “will determine the course of the garda investigation”, said a garda spokesman.

Gardai said they believed Ms Muckell visited a property at Windmill Street, in Limerick City, located about 30km from her home, on the day she was found with serious injuries or or in the days beforehand, and that gardai had been alerted to “an incident” at an address on Windmill Street earlier on Tuesday.

Investigators would not comment on the nature of Ms Muckell’s injuries.

“The scene at Cois Deel, Rathkeale, was preserved and a technical examination has been conducted. Gardaí in Limerick had attended an incident that occurred in the Windmill Street area of Limerick earlier on the evening of Tuesday 19th July and enquiries to date suggest that the deceased may have frequented a residence on Windmill Street in the day or days prior to her discovery with serious injuries on the 19th July 2022,” said the garda spokesman.

Appealing for information, the spokesman said: “In particular Gardaí wish to speak to any persons who were in the Windmill Street area of Limerick City or the Cois Deel area of Rathkeale between Sunday, July 17, 2022, and Tuesday, July 19, 2022, who observed any activity which drew their attention, to come forward.”

“Any persons who may have camera footage (including dash-cam and CCTV) of either area between these dates are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”

A local source said Ms Muckell was a “very talented singer, piano teacher”.

Paying tribute, they said: “It’s very, very sad, she was a music teacher, she’s only in her mid 50s. The garda forensics were at the house all day yesterday in Rathkeale. It’s unbelievable, the whole town is in shock.”

“She was a very respectable lady, she had taught piano in the former Sisters of Mercy secondary school in Rathkeale. She has a family living around the area, and I understand she had retired from teaching music.”

“She also used to sing in the local church, at weddings and funerals, and she was much sought after as a talented musician.”

“I understand she lived alone, she loved her dog, and she kept herself to herself so it’s hard to know what has happened.”

“She was too nice for this world, I remember when she used to sing at Saturday night mass, Sunday mass; it’s a few years since I last saw her singing in the church, but when she did she could raise the roof, she was a lovely respectable woman.”

“There was a lot of gardai around, and the gardai dressed in the forensic white suits were in and out of the house, so that’s serious, and then on Wednesday we heard Louise had passed away, the poor woman.”

“To the best of my knowledge she was living on her own, she was always well dressed and well spoken, and kept herself to herself, it’s just shocking.”