An information technology manager from Ireland was found murdered in his condominium unit at Bangunan MBF along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah in Penang, along with a cryptic note.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Che Zaimani Che Awang said the victim, identified as Brian Patrick O’Reilly, 50, was stationed in Penang by Singapore-based company First Lookout Marketing.
He said police believed the deceased was hit with a pot and frying pan, stabbed in his stomach and slashed on his neck.
O’Reilly’s body was found sprawled in a pool of blood at 5.15pm yesterday evening (Mar 4). His feet were bound with cloth and his arms tied with a shoelace.
Police believe he may have been dead since Friday night (Mar 1).
Zaimani said police also found a handwritten note near the victim, which read: “I respected the police & still do but justice sometimes has to be gained. I hate you Mafia killing scamers. I love my girl & she is dead.”
The note was written on a piece of paper which appeared to be torn from the first page of the book, ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***’.
O’Reilly’s remains were discovered by a property agent, who was employed by the Singapore-based company to provide accommodation for its employees, after calls to O’Reilly went unanswered.
The agent had tried to reach him for the keys to his office at Menara BHL Bank next door for air-conditioning maintenance works.
Zaimani said closed-circuit television cameras showed O’Reilly leaving the apartment last Friday at 9.57pm.
He said a local man who registered as a guest to visit the deceased was recorded entering at 6.23am on Saturday.
At 12.09pm on the same day, a lone Caucasian male was seen leaving the apartment carrying a bag. Investigators believe him to be the murder suspect.
“We feel this man is the key suspect in the murder. He was seen leaving the apartment in an Audi car.
“We also conducted a forensic investigation at the scene and lifted fingerprints and took DNA samples,” Zaimani said.
A post-mortem will be conducted at the Penang Hospital today.
The case is investigated for murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code.