Murder of Michael Crowe on the 4/10/09

Gardaí at Newbridge Garda Station are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the murder of eighty one year old Michael Crowe, who died as a result of a fire in his home at Phairc Mhuire in the early hours of Sunday 4th October 2009.

Michael was at home on a normal Saturday evening with his wife Betty and son Tómas watching television. They went to bed before midnight and were awoken by a bang at around 2am. A brick was thrown through a window at the front of the house. Gardaí attended to the house and spoke with the family. The Crowe Family returned to their beds shortly after.

At approximately 6am, Tómas was woken by another loud bang, he got up and quickly discovered a fire coming from the hallway and stairs. Gardaí believe an accelerant was thrown through the hole that was made in the window earlier in the night He immediately went to the aid of his parents and with the assistance of some neighbours Betty managed to escape down a ladder through a bedroom window. Tómas fell to the ground from the same window and was unable to assist his father Michael who was still in the house and subsequently lost his life in the fire

Tómas and the extended Crowe family renew their appeal for help and information from the public to help assist this investigation.

Appeal:

• Gardaí are appealing to anyone in the Phairc Mhuire estate on the Saturday night into Sunday morning who have not come forward to do so now.
• Three men were seen in the area at around 2am, they are believed to be between twenty and thirty year of age and have never been identified, Gardaí are appealing to these men or anyone with information on the identities of these men to come forward.
• Gardaí are hoping that with the passage of time or a change in personal circumstances, someone may now be in a position to come forward.
• Gardaí would like to reassure the public that all information will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and urge anyone who has any information, no matter how insignificant or trivial it may seem, to come forward.  
   

 Gardaí at Kildare Garda Station are investigating tel: (045) 527 730