Post mortem examinations on the bodies of three people who were found dead in a farmhouse in Co Wicklow yesterday are continuing.
The bodies of John-Joe Sleator and his wife Mary, who were both in their 80s, and their 43-year-old son Patrick, were found in their home in Grangecon at around 11am yesterday morning.
Two rifles were recovered from the scene and gardaí are treating the deaths as murder and suicide.
Pat Sleator was last seen alive on Saturday morning.
It is understood that a neighbour discovered the bodies at the family home yesterday morning. Concerns were raised when the family, who were regular church-goers, failed to attend Sunday Mass and also did not collect their paper at the local shop.
Following a forensic examination of the scene, their bodies were removed last night to Dublin City Morgue.
The Sleators are survived by two daughters, one of whom lives in Britain.
Meanwhile, prayers were said at St Joseph's Church in Baltinglass today for the family.
Friends and acquaintances of the deceased, including past pupils of Mary Slater, who was a school teacher, and members of the local golf club were in attendance.
The local curate, Fr Padraig Shelley, said the family would be remembered with great fondness.
He said that through their faith and their professional activities they had shown a real sense of community.
Last night, a representative of the Sleator family issued a statement asking for privacy.
The statement read: 'The tragic deaths of Mr John Joe Sleator, his wife Mary and son Patrick, has shocked their immediate family.
'The family need time to come to grips with this appalling tragedy and would ask the media to allow them some consideration and privacy so that they can deal with their grief and loss.'
