Family pay tribute to man found dead at flat in Manchester as murder investigation gets underway
The family of a man found dead at a flat in South Manchester have paid tribute to their 'gentle giant'.
64-year-old Fintan McDwyer was discovered at a house on Platt Lane in Fallowfield on the morning of Monday July 1. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Greater Manchester Police have launched a murder investigation.
They say they believe a violent assault took place, resulting in serious and fatal injuries which were caused by a sharp instrument.
Paying tribute, Mr McDwyer's family said they have lost a dad, grandad, brother and uncle and that their lives have "been turned upside down".
In a statement they said: “Our whole family is grieving the loss of Fintan. Our hearts are broken and will remain forever so, but the love we learned from Fintan will give us the strength to try and move forwards in our life without him.
“Fintan was our own gentle giant, with a calm and reassuring presence. He had the most wonderful, soft, Irish lilt.
“He was a true gentleman, had a wonderful sense of humour, and always had a twinkle in his eye.
"Fintan loved his dog, Sammy, and was often seen with her walking her around the local area and parks.
“There isn’t anyone who would say a bad word about Fintan, and it breaks our hearts that he has been denied years to be with his sons and grandchildren.
“He will never be forgotten, and he will continue to hold a very special place in our hearts. We always know he will be watching over us.
“We would like to thank extended family, friends, neighbours and the local community for the kind words we have received, and now request privacy as we grieve as a family.”
Officers are continuing to appeal for information from anyone who may have information about the incident.
Detective Inspector Lee Shaw from Greater Manchester Police Major Incident Team, said: “There will be people who know what happened to Fintan, and we appeal to them to come forwards as soon as possible.
"In cases like this, even the smallest piece of information can prove vital to the progression of our investigation.
“We continue to specifically appeal to anyone who noticed anything suspicious on Platt Lane or in the surrounding areas from 7pm on Saturday 29 June up until the morning of Monday 1 July 2024 to get in touch with us."
Anyone with information or footage that could assist the investigation is asked to contact GMP on 0161 856 5415 quoting log 695 of 1/7/24.
A dedicated portal has been set up and information, CCTV, dashcam, doorbell and phone images and footage can be submitted through the Major Incident Public Portal (mipp.police.uk)
Information can also be reported via www.gmp.police.uk or through the independent charity Crimestoppers - anonymously – on 0800 555 111.