Man arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Co Sligo

Body of Angela Canavan found in her home with multiple head injuries

Gardaí in Co Sligo arrested a man in his 30s on Sunday morning on suspicion of murder. Photograph: Alan Betson
Gardaí in Co Sligo arrested a man in his 30s on Sunday morning on suspicion of murder. Photograph: Alan Betson

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Angela Canavan in Sligo town earlier this week.

The body of Ms Canavan, who was aged in her late 50s, was found by emergency services when they called to her house in the town just after 8.30pm last Monday.

She was found on the ground floor with a number of injuries to her head.

Gardaí initially described her death as having occurred in “unexplained circumstances” and a postmortem could not determine with certainty if she suffered the injuries through a fall or an assault.

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Angela Canavan was found dead in "unexplained circumstances" at her Sligo home last Monday. Photograph: rip.ie
Angela Canavan was found dead in "unexplained circumstances" at her Sligo home last Monday. Photograph: rip.ie

However, following analysis of CCTV and interviews with locals and those who knew Ms Canavan, gardaí came to believe she may have been attacked and a suspect was identified.

On Sunday morning, gardaí in Co Sligo arrested a man aged in his 30s on suspicion of Ms Canavan’s murder. He is currently being held in a station in the northwestern region. He can be held for questioning for up to 24 hours.

Gardaí have renewed their appeal for information on the case: “Anyone with any information is asked to contact Sligo Garda station on 071 9157000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.”

Ms Canavan, who was buried on Saturday, was from Crossmolina, Co Mayo, but had rented a home on St John’s Terrace in Sligo town for the past several years. She had two adult children.

Mourners heard she was a kind, quiet woman who “always had a smile and a twinkle in her eye”.

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher

Conor Gallagher is Crime and Security Correspondent of The Irish Times