A double suicide has reportedly ended the hunt for the killer of Tipperary native Tom Walsh, who died from gunshot wounds as he was closing up the Florida restaurant that he managed.
Walsh, 43, and a father of one from Templemore, had managed the restaurant in LeLand, near Daytona Beach. The shooting took place on the night of March 31 when Walsh was alone on the premises.
It was first thought Walsh was killed during a robbery as the night's profits were taken from the premises, but now, according to reports, police believe that a double suicide last Thursday may hold links to the murder of the popular Tipperary man.
James Seagreaves (29) and his girlfriend Kayla Nemoto (20) died after apparently committing suicide following a shoot out with police.
Seagreaves had been released from jail in early March and is believed to have carried out a spate of armed robberies in Florida after leaving prison. One of those heists was at the Mainstreet Grill in LeLand, where Walsh was murdered. A reported $3000 was taken.
It turns out that Walsh knew Seagreaves. The Tipperary man had fired him two years ago and investigators now believe that Seagreaves had held a grudge since then.
According to reports, police went to Seagraves' home last Thursday to serve a warrant in connection with Walsh's murder, but Seagreaves and his 20-year-old girlfriend, who was said to be pregnant with a baby girl, barricaded themselves into their apartment.
After a stand-off during which negotiators tried to persuade the couple to surrender, a SWAT team was sent in and discovered the two dead.
Police would not released details of how the two met their deaths, but it is believed that they died from gunshot wounds to the head, and that the baby Nemoto was carrying did not survive.
Walsh's family in Ireland have demanded to know what background checks were made on Seagreaves before the restaurant hired him, the Irish Independent reported.
And Brian Walsh told The Irish Sun: "Obviously it turned out he was a very dangerous individual. The job of firing this guy was left to Thomas a couple of years ago."
Walsh described his brother, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1996 as a man who was living the American dream.
"He built a great life for himself and this piece of scum took it away," he told the daily.
Tom Walsh was flown home to Templemore for his funeral in April. His 12-year-old daughter, Kira, led a simple prayer from the altar.
Prior to the Irish funeral, hundreds gathered in a Florida church on Holy Thursday to mourn Walsh.
Walsh had worked at the Mainstreet Grill since it opened for business 16 years ago. He also had his own computer business and the restaurant work was a sideline at the time of his death.
