A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murders of Aidan Moffitt (42) and Michael Snee (58) in Sligo this week.
The man was detained in the town in the hours after Mr Snee's body was discovered on Tuesday night.
He was questioned at Sligo Garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, and was charged this afternoon.
Investigators believe the two deceased met their killer through a dating app, and also believe there was a homophobic element to the killings. They are also focusing on the suspect's dating history.
On Tuesday, the body of Michael Snee, care assistant who had previously worked at Nazareth House and St John’s Hospital in Sligo, was discovered by members of his extended family at his apartment at Connaughton Road.
On Monday evening, 42-year-old Aidan Moffitt was found dead at his home in Cartron Heights, a small housing estate overlooking in Sligo Town.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and other government ministers have condemned the murders and LGBT+ Ireland, a support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, has expressed shock and concern.
Deeply troubled to read about the two suspected murders in Sligo including that of @FineGael activist Aidan Moffitt. Thinking of his family & friends. What happened is unspeakable and hard to fathom. Concerned about the possible motive of the attacker. RIP
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 13, 2022
Paula Fagan, CEO of LGBT Ireland said:
"This has been a dark week for the LGBTI+ community in Ireland. We are still reeling from the vicious homophobic assault on Dame Street in Dublin in recent days and, now, we are deeply saddened by events in Sligo. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.
"These devastating crimes bring to the fore the need for comprehensive Hate Crime legislation, and I – along with other sectoral representatives – will be speaking with lawmakers over the coming days to stress the need for them to redouble their efforts and ensure the forthcoming legislation is effective, comprehensive and enacted with urgency. The LGBTI+ Community has the right to feel and be safe on our streets, and online."
Sinn Féin Sligo MEP Chris MacManus also described the murders as "a callous attack."
"Firstly let me say we stand with every member of the LGBTI+ community," he said. "Your diversity should be celebrated and protected and never threatened by such evils. The people of Sligo and indeed the entire island of Ireland stands with you. The murders of Aidan and Michael are an example of humanity at its worst. Hate crimes are an attack on freedom, compassion and love. Such actions will not be tolerated.
"This is a needless loss of life and the people of Sligo are in shock. The violent nature of these deaths is very worrying and It’s very hard for anyone to make any sense of what has happened."
Vigils for the two victims have been planned in Sligo, Dublin and several other cities across Ireland on Friday evening.
