A KILLER broke into a ­pensioners home and ­murdered him with an axe, gardai believe.
Cops were last night hunting the brute who butchered the man believed to be originally from China at Robinsons Court on Cork Street in Dublin city centre.
Forensic gardai remove items from the scene of the murderCredit: Photocall Ireland
Gardai close off the flat where the horrific attack took placeCredit: Photocall Ireland
Neighbours Rita and John OConnor said the victim was ‘very quiet’
Officers suspect the killer broke into the flat through a window before subjecting the victim to a horrific attack and leaving him lying in a pool of blood.
The alarm was raised by the ­victims care worker after she had called to his flat and discovered the grisly scene.
Gardai are now trawling through CCTV footage in a bid to identify the attacker.
One theory is that it may have been a burglary or robbery that went wrong.Gardai are also still hunting for the suspected murder weapon.
‘BRUTAL MURDER’
And officers were trying to contact the dead mans family members in China.
A source said: This was a particularly brutal murder of a defenceless and frail man.
The victim suffered an appalling death and didnt stand a chance due to the ferocious nature of the attack.
He would have been an easy target for his killer.
Garda technical experts yesterday searched the victims flat for clues.
The investigation is being run by detectives from Kevin Street Garda Station. Officers held a case conference on the murder last night.
The gruesome killing happened at the same development where Anthony Rodgers, 61, was stabbed to death in December 2016.
Another man Vincent Plunkett, 80, was also stabbed to death in his flat in 2006.
‘GOD HELP THAT MAN’
Local community worker Liz OConnor told of her shock at the pensioners killing.
She said: The poor man was killed where the old people live and people are genuinely shocked by it. God help that man and his family the whole thing is just terrible.
Its awful to think that something as awful as this has happened in our community.
Another local told us: Its just heartbreaking and nobody seems to know why this happened.
The incident is all over social media because people are concerned this could happen to a senior citizen. People knew him to see and he had been living there for a good few years.
Locals confirmed the dead man had been living there for a number of years and its understood that he resided on his own.
Neighbours Rita and John OConnor described him as very quiet.
Rita told the Irish Sun: I know him to say hello to as hed walk past you but he was quiet enough.
He lived in that flat that they have covered up but youd get in around the back where theres a garden way.
I saw him during the week, just walking along. I dont know what his name was but he was just known as China George.
John added: Were here about eight years and you would see him floating about.
Thats the third murder thats happened in here. Its madness.
Another man said: I was only talking to him a few days ago when he had a man in ­painting his flat.
He kept to himself really but a nice man who would always say hello.
Gardai confirmed that an investigation was under way and have urged anyone with information to come forward. @SteBreen