Shock in west Cork where a French woman who was a regular visitor to the area has been found dead.
Gardaí in Schull will commence a murder investigation when the state pathologist carries out a postmortem on the body of the woman later tonight or tomorrow morning.
The French woman had been staying at a holiday home in the remote townland of Toormore, approximately six miles from Schull. Gardaí say that the body of the woman was found on an isolated country lane with severe head injuries.
Originally from Paris, it is known that her family bought the property some years ago, but little is known about the woman herself as,
She tended to live a pretty secluded life at the remote house.
There was shock tonight in Schull when people heard about the woman's death, as the crime rate in the locality is so low. Gardaí have at this stage ruled out an accidental death.
A murder inquiry seems likely from tomorrow.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 23 December 1996. The reporter is Tom MacSweeney.
