Minutes before arriving at the home of the woman he would soon kill, Peadar Phair was spotted walking along Abbey Road near Maguiresbridge on Monday afternoon dressed in a suit, an eyewitness has told the Impartial Reporter.
He had parked his small white van at the entrance of the village and was observed by neighbours after 3pm making the short journey to the home of Concepta Leonard, his former partner, on foot.
The quiet little road in the rural community was about to become the centre of a brutal murder.
At some point within the next hour the 55 year old is believed to have stabbed Ms. Leonard to death, attempted to kill her disabled son Conor and then attempted to take his own life.
When police and paramedics arrived just after 4.30pm they discovered a “horrific scene,” said a source.
Efforts were made to save Mr. Phair but he died a short time later in hospital.
It’s understood Conor, who suffers from Down’s syndrome, raised the alarm despite having sustained serious knife wounds to his stomach. 
Yesterday (Wednesday) the 30 year old was still recovering at South West Acute Hospital as his family held a bedside vigil. 
Within a matter of moments a wave of sorrow spread through area.
Father Laurence Dawson of St. Mary’s Church in Brookeborough attended the scene and met with Ms. Leonard’s distraught family who had gathered to console one another.
“It was a great expression of their faith that they were able to gather together in prayer to ask the Lord for strength in the days ahead,” he told this newspaper. 
Soon forensic teams in white boiler suits were surveying the area and police officers closed a section of the road for almost two days. 
Officers were also spotted at Mr. Phair’s house in the Castle Lane area of Lisnaskea late on Monday evening and beside the van he had left just over a mile away.
A police spokeswoman confirmed that a vehicle “was seized and searched by officers as part of the investigation” as forensic officers continued searching Ms. Leonard’s five bedroom home yesterday.
In a statement, Detective Chief Inspector Eamon Corrigan said police “are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident at this time.”
Anyone with any information which could assist police with its enquiries is asked to contact detectives in Lisnaskea on 101 quoting the reference number ‪774 15/05/17‬.