Irishman Damian Conlon’s alleged killer is his father-in-law, apparently.
The Irish Mirror confirmed that the accused is Luke Simon, 57, the father of Mr Conlon’s wife Linda, who was devastated by her death by gunshot.
Mr Simon is believed to have shot and killed Mr Conlon, a Sligo native, at his home in the village of Oberon, New South Wales on Thursday morning.
The disabled Australian Army veteran was arrested at the scene of the shooting, and local police also confiscated a firearm.
He was charged with murder and appeared in court in the nearby town of Bathurst.
Mr Simon was placed in custody and told he would be jailed for seven weeks before his next hearing.
The court heard there were health concerns for the defendant’s condition, but he was denied bail and he is due to reappear in court on April 5, reports The Mirror.
Originally from Sligo, Mr Conlon ran an excavation business and had lived in the area for several years.
Police were called to the Jenolan Street property shortly after 8 am Thursday and found Mr. Conlon with a gunshot wound to the head. He died on the spot. Mr Conlon came from a respected family in Sligo and his death shocked the whole town.
His parents Dermot and Ethel Conlon were comforted by his family and friends last night.
He has a brother who serves with the defense forces in a United Nations peacekeeping operation abroad, sources have revealed.
Damian moved to Australia from his hometown of Sligo over 12 years ago to start a new life when the recession hit.
In a moving interview with a local newspaper in Bathurst two years ago, when he received Australian citizenship, Damian said: “This is the best country in the world. There’s no better place to live, I reckon,” reports The Mirror.
He initially went to Australia on a one-year working holiday visa.
However, things progressed from there and Damian, a carpenter by trade, successfully started two companies which resulted in a large excavation company called L&D Excavation.
In the interview, Damian said, “I’ve travelled across Australia, so I’ve only been in Bathurst for just about a year and four months, but it’s lovely,” adding he’d settle down there, reports The Mirror.
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