An Italian man (34) has appeared in court charged with the murder of Tom O'Gorman (39). Mr. O'Gorman was stabbed and severely beaten at his home in Castleknock in Dublin at the weekend.
Gardai believe he was killed as a result of a dispute over a game of chess.
Senior gardai are describing the death at the weekend as 'gruesome'.
Officers were called to his home at Beechpark Avenue at around 2am yesterday morning where they discovered his remains.
Tributes left at the door of Mr. O'Gorman's house
O'Gorman - who worked as a researcher at the Iona Institute - suffered extensive injuries including stab wounds. Gardai believe he was killed after a row broke out over a game of chess.
His lodger Saverio Bellante, who is originally from Palermo in Sicily, was arrested at the scene under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Gardai offered counselling
Mr. Bellante, who also has an address at Beechpark Avenue in Castleknock, appeared in Blanchardstown District Court this morning charged with murder.
Detective Sergeant Patrick Traynor from Blanchardstown Garda Station told the court that Saverio Bellante replied 'I am guilty' when he charged and cautioned late last night.
He made a brief appearance at Blanchardstown District Court at 10.30am this morning dressed in a black jumper and black trousers.
The defendant declined legal representation, telling the court that he wants to represent himself.
Judge David McHugh ordered that a medical assessment be carried out on Mr. Bellante who has been remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday next January 17th.
The entrance to the house at at Beechpark Avenue
Meanwhile the house where the incident happened on Beechpark Avenue in Castleknock remains sealed off today. And it has been confirmed that the two gardai who first arrived at the scene - a man and a woman - are being offered counselling.
Michael O'Toole, crime correspondent with the Irish Daily Star, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast earlier about the case.
A garda source said "It was a very unpleasant scene for our people to walk into. This was a bizarre killing and the dead man sustained substantial injuries to his body".
David McGuinness is a Fianna Fáil councillor in Dublin-West. He says the community is asking questions about the value of human life.
Shocked colleagues
It is understood Mr O'Gorman was a former journalist with The Voice Today, a Roman Catholic newspaper.
A graduate of UCD, Mr. O'Gorman had more recently been a researcher with the Dublin-based Catholic lobby group the Iona Institute for seven years, and is believed to have taken in a lodger in recent months to help supplement his income.
David Quinn, director of The Iona Institute, said Mr. O'Gorman's friends and colleagues were devastated at his death.
"On behalf of everyone at The Iona Institute, I would like to express our total shock and deep sorrow at the terrible and untimely death of Tom O'Gorman," he said.
"Tom was a friend as well as a work colleague to us all. He was a fond and dear friend and we will all miss him. We extend our deepest commiserations to his family and above all to his sister and brother, Catherine and Paul".
