Gardaí investigate suspected murder-suicide after father and son found dead in Dublin

Gardaí are investigating a suspected murder-suicide after a father and his young son were found dead in separate houses in west Dublin on Thursday morning.

According to The Irish Times, the suspects have been identified as Wayne O’Reilly (48) and his 11-year-old son Oisín.

They are not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths, believing Mr O’Reilly murdered the child before taking his own life.

The pair were reported missing last October but were later located safe and well. At the time gardaí said they and the family were concerned for their wellbeing, The Irish Times reported.

Mr O’Reilly is believed to have had access to his son in a shared custody arrangement with his ex-partner, the boy’s mother.

It is understood the father’s remains were discovered first, effectively raising the alarm.

Emergency services were called to a home in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot at approximately 8:30am on Thursday morning, where they found a man in his 40s dead at the scene.

During follow-up inquiries, the body of the boy was discovered at a home in Clondalkin.

The two properties, which both had visible Christmas decorations in the windows, are about a 15-minute drive away from each other.