Irish police try to ID male torso found in floating suitcase

THE man whose torso was found in a suitcase in a canal in Co Kildare was named last night as 33-year-old Kenneth O’Brien from west Dublin.

It is believed Mr O’Brien was killed at a separate location to where his torso was found. His head and limbs have not been located.

Sources said it is believed Mr O’Brien was brutally murdered because of a personal grudge.

The victim was identified this afternoon after a DNA sample taken from the torso matched with a sample given by a member of the man’s family.

But they think he may have fallen foul of someone with a grudge to bear, since he returned home last month after a spell working in Australia.

His remains were discovered by youths walking along the canal bank on Saturday.

Police have described the killing as a “particularly gruesome crime”.

Supt Gerry Wall from Leixlip Garda station said there was now “no indication” as to why Mr O’Brien was killed.

Inquiries in the Clondalkin area will now be intensified by gardaí.

He had a partner and children, who were said to be “devastated and grief-stricken”.

Gardai are appealing to the public for help with the investigation, with Superintendent Wall urging anyone with information to contact Leixlip Garda Station on 01 666 7800.

“We don’t have any mode of transport for him”.

A postmortem carried out by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis concluded the man was dead a maximum of three days before being found.

In addition gardaí say they are keen to speak to anyone who may have observed, seen or had any contact with Mr O’Brien since the early hours of Friday morning when he left Lealand Road in Clondalkin or can assist in tracing his movements.

A detailed search of that stretch of the canal by the garda water unit was completed yesterday.