Northern Ireland

Co Fermanagh murder-suicide: Man kills woman and attacks her son before taking his own life

 The couple have been named locally as Concepta Leonard (51) and Peadar Phair (55)
 The couple have been named locally as Concepta Leonard (51) and Peadar Phair (55)  The couple have been named locally as Concepta Leonard (51) and Peadar Phair (55)

A MAN and a woman have died in an apparent murder-suicide in Co Fermanagh.

Concepta Leonard (51) and Peadar Phair (55), thought to be her former partner, were found dead in a house in Abbey Road, on the outskirts of Maguiresbridge and close to Lisnaskea.

Concepta's son Conor, aged in his 30s with Down's Syndrome, was also stabbed in the abdomen.

Investigators are treating the attack as attempted murder.

Conor is currently in hospital in a stable condition.

The Irish News understands that the man attacked the woman with a knife before killing himself.

It is believed that police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.

Detective Chief Inspector Eamon Corrigan said: "Post-mortem examinations will be carried out in due course and at this stage we are working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

"Although our enquiries are at an early stage, we are treating the death of the woman as murder."

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police.

Tom Elliott, the UUP MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, said: "The widespread shock in the local community has been deepened as news has spread that police are treating the death of Concepta Leonard as murder.  I would appeal for space and time to be given to the grieving family at this most sensitive time.”

SDLP councillor Garbhan McPhillips, who lives in Lisnaskea, told The Irish News that it was "extremely shocking" and said he wished to express his condolences to the families of those who died.

"This is such a horrific incident. This is a close-knit community and we have had nothing of this magnitude."