A pensioner found tied up in a chair and stabbed in the chest in his Co Antrim home was the kind of man who "would have tried to defend himself", friends said last night.
The body of retired plumber Eddie Girvan (67) was found at a house on Station Road in Greenisland at around 9.30pm on Monday.
Police made the shocking discovery while making inquiries about a person who was earlier stopped "on a routine matter" in Belfast.
That person was then arrested on suspicion of murder, and two other people were also arrested in Belfast.
The three suspects - a 29-year-old woman and two men, aged 23 and 24 - remained in custody last night.
Police also revealed that the pensioner's car - a silver Hyundai Sonata, registration MKZ 9818 - was seen leaving the area shortly before 7.30am on Monday before being driven down the motorway "in a dangerous way".
"It is believed to have been involved in a minor accident as it travelled through the city centre. This car was recovered late last night in Verner Street in Belfast," Detective Chief Inspector John McVea said.
A divorcee, Mr Girvan - who worked as a heating engineer prior to retiring - had been living alone at the property for several years.
Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson said he was "shocked and distressed" by the death of the popular pensioner, who he'd known all his life.
"This stretch of road is a quiet residential area and this death will stun people there, he said.
"Eddie would have been a local handyman, he services oil heating systems but also could have put his hand to most things.
"He'd done a bit of painting and decorating work at our house a lot of years ago.
"He was a sprightly and spirited man and knowing his nature would have tried to defend himself against any intruder.
"It's just so sad, at his time of life he should have been enjoying his retirement in peace.
"My thoughts are with his family at this terrible time. I know there is great shock and sadness from the community who are very tight knit and would have all known Eddie and his family very well."
Mr Girvan was seen in a nearby off-licence at about 2.30pm on Sunday, but his movements after that are not known.
DCI McVea confirmed that while a post mortem examination would take place, police were treating the death as murder.
"An incident such as this is unusual for a community like Greenisland and I am appealing to local people for their assistance", he said.
"Detectives are making house to house enquiries because we need to speak to those local people who knew Eddie Girvan and saw him in the past few days.
"I also want to hear from anyone who saw or heard any activity at Mr Girvan’s home at 162 Station Road over the past weekend.
“This is a shocking crime and our sympathies today are with Mr Girvan’s family and friends."
