Dad and son, 11, discovered lifeless in suspected murder-suicide pictured for the primary time

Oisin O’Reilly, 11, was found dead at a house in Clondalkin, West Dublin, on Thursday morning after his father Wayne O’Reilly, 48, was discovered dead at a property in Ballyfermot

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Oisin O’Reilly was found dead after his dad’s body was discovered(Image: An Garda Síochána)

A young boy believed to have been killed by his own dad in a suspected murder suicide has been named locally.

Oisin O’Reilly, 11, was found dead at a house in Clondalkin, West Dublin, on Thursday morning shortly after cops discovered the body of his father Wayne O’Reilly, 48, at a different property 15 minutes away in Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot.

Gardai (Irish police) were first alerted to the scene in Ballyfermot, where Wayne O’Reilly was found dead in a shed at the back of a property. It is suspected that he took his own life after fleeing from the scene in Clondalkin.

They were subsequently alerted to the scene in Clondalkin, where they found Oisin’s remains. It’s believed the tragic youngster died by asphyxiation, the Irish Mirror reports.

Oisin’s body was removed from the scene in front of a crowd of shocked and devastated neighbours shortly after 3.20pm on Thursday. Members of the Garda Technical Bureau were seen at the scene, as cops cordoned off a stretch of the road in front of the property.

Both father and son had previously been reported missing to cops back in October of last year. A nationwide alert had been issued before they were found safe and well.

A man who said he was a “good friend” of Wayne O’Reilly spoke of his deep upset over what had happened. The man, who did not want to be named, was clearly upset as he told the Irish Mirror: “He was a good friend. I have known him for more than 20 years.

“We are all shocked and devastated by what has happened.I last spoke to him about two weeks ago. He was in good form. He absolutely doted on (the little boy).”

He also said the father was a talented mechanic and also sold cars, but his mental health had gone downhill in recent years, adding: “He was very popular and none of his friends saw this coming at all. Everyone is shocked. Nobody can believe what happened.”

In a statement, gardai said officers were “investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of two bodies at domestic residences”.

A spokesman said: “Gardaí and emergency services were called to a domestic residence in Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot this morning at approximately 8:30am. A body of a male (aged in his 40s) was discovered deceased at the scene.

“In follow up enquiries the body of a male child was discovered at a domestic residence in Clondalkin. Both locations have been preserved for forensic examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.”

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