FRIENDS of a Polish woman found dead in Newry have set up a fundraising page to help fly her family to Northern Ireland to "pay their last respects".
Police last night confirmed they had launched a murder investigation following the death of Patrycja Wyrebek (20) at her home in Drumalane Park on Sunday.
A PSNI spokesman said a 23-year-old man remained in police custody.
Tributes have been paid to Ms Wyrebek (20), who is believed to be originally from the Siedlce area of Poland, with many describing her as a "beautiful girl".
Friends of the young woman have already raised more than £2,000 to assist her heartbroken family, as the community of Drumalane last night came together at a vigil held in her memory.
It is understood her body was found lifeless in a bath at her home on Sunday at around 8.30am.
Police carried out a search of the area and a 23-year-old man was arrested. It is understood he was living in the same house as the woman and his mother.
It was also reported he was apprehended by police using a Taser and taken into police custody after a stand-off.
Honorary Polish Consul Jerome Mullen confirmed that the young woman and the man were both from Poland.
On Sunday, police said the investigation was at an early stage and officers were currently not looking for anyone else in connection with the death.
In an update last night, police said a murder probe had been launched.
PSNI Detective Inspector Mark Gibson said: "My thoughts are very much with Patrycja’s family and friends at this extremely sad time.
"I would appeal to anyone who was in the Drumalane Park area of Newry between 8.30pm on Saturday, 1 August and 8.30am on Sunday, 2 August and who saw or heard anything suspicious to contact detectives on the non-emergency number 101."
Tributes have been paid to the victim, whose death has been described as a "tragic loss of young life".
A GoFundMe page has been established by friends of the young woman to help her family, who still live in Poland, come to Northern Ireland.
On the page, her friends wrote: "Patrycja was a dear friend of ours. We opened this page to try and help her family by raising money for them to fly over to Northern Ireland and pay their last respects to her.
"With them being from Poland, a lot of them are in no position to pay the price of a plane ticket.
"Any amount of money would go a long way and would be greatly appreciated."
Within hours of the page being set up, more than £2,000 had been pledged.
Other tributes posted on social media said: "It's so sad, she was a quiet girl thinking of her family", while another added: "Rest easy beautiful girl, thinking of her family at this terrible time".
