Dumped into a bin by his killers: Police given more time to question two arrested over horrific death of disabled man

The body of 40-year-old Owen Creaney was found by police at a house at Moyraverty Court in Craigavon on Saturday afternoon.

It is thought the Lurgan man's body may have been there for several days.

A 23-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man have been arrested and questioned by police.

Police said Mr Creaney's body was found in a bin stored in a porch to the rear of the house in which the 27-year-old man lived.

Detective Chief Inspector Richard Campbell, of the PSNI's Serious Crime Branch, said it appeared that the victim survived for a while after the assault but died without receiving medical attention.

Mr Creaney was frail and needed a walking aid to move about. It is understood he had been living at Victoria Place in Lurgan until recently.

“I would hope that the community would be rightly disgusted by the attempt to conceal Owen's body after this brutal murder,” said Mr Campbell.

“Owen was 40. In fact, he celebrated his 40th birthday last Saturday (June 28). He was a frail and vulnerable man.

“Although he was only 40, he had significant mobility issues which meant he required the aid of a walking frame or stick to get about.

“I think it is important for the community to reject this violent assault on Owen and contact police with any information which they have.”

He added: “A postmortem examination is ongoing in relation to Owen’s remains at the minute, at this stage I can say he has been the victim of a very serious and sustained assault that has resulted in his death.”

Mr Campbell yesterday made two specific appeals for information. “I need to talk to anyone who saw or heard a disturbance or suspicious activity at 140 Moyraverty Court any time between last Wednesday afternoon (July 2) and yesterday afternoon, (Saturday, July 5),” he said.

“I also need to talk to anyone who saw or spoke with Owen during that same period. Our inquiries are progressing.

“We are following a number of definite lines of inquiry but we would ask the local community for their assistance and co-operation.”

Speaking at the scene, SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly said the area was a quiet, residential one and people were in shock.

“Police have been carrying out house-to-house inquiries today,” she said. “There are a lot of children and young ones about on their bikes and people sitting out in their gardens.

“I'm sure it was a very gruesome discovery for whoever found the remains and indeed for emergency services having to do the investigation, so people are rightly very disturbed by this,” she said.

Lurgan DUP councillor Mark Baxter urged anyone with information to contact police.

“The people in the community are shocked and appalled by this brutal find,” he said. “And if it is at all possible to make it worse, there is the fact that he was disabled.

“I offer my condolences to the family of Mr Creaney at what is a very difficult time. It is an absolutely horrific find.”

Mr Baxter said that Victoria Place in Lurgan, where Mr Creaney is from, and where he was found at Moyraverty Court in Craigavon, were both quiet areas.

“I certainly hope that local people will go to police with any information,” he said.