Gardai are investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a mum of four at her home in Co Kerry on Monday.
The woman's body was discovered at a property in Killarney in the afternoon after emergency services were alerted.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
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The woman has been named locally as 75-year-old Miriam Burns.
Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene at the Ardshanavooly housing estate after the alarm was raised around lunchtime.
Mrs Burns was discovered after friends and family became concerned for her welfare.
The scene was sealed off pending a full technical, and forensic examination and gardaí requested the assistance of the State Pathologist Office.
Mrs Burns's remains will be transferred to University Hospital Kerry, where a full post-mortem will take place on Tuesday.
It is understood she sustained head and neck injuries which do not appear to be consistent with a fall.
Gardaí are treating the death as suspicious, and a decision on the nature of their investigation will be made today following the post-mortem and forensic results.
A garda spokesperson said: "At approximately 1.15pm, the body of a woman in her 70s was discovered in a residential property in Ardshanavooly, Killarney Co Kerry. The body remains at the scene.
"The scene is currently preserved to allow for a technical examination to be conducted. The office of the State Pathologist has been notified. No further information is available at this time."
Detectives are now trying to confirm Mrs Burns' last known movements as they try to pinpoint when the mum died.
Local sources indicated she was very active in several Killarney-based groups and had not been seen locally since last Friday evening, reports the Irish Independent.
Detectives are also trying to confirm who may have had contact with her in the hours before her death.
Gardaí are hoping to speak with one person known to the deceased in respect of when they last saw her.
There was no sign of forced entry to the property.
Door-to-door inquiries are expected to be conducted in an area on Tuesday.
CCTV security camera footage from the area located close to a Tesco shopping centre and a McDonald's restaurant is expected to prove crucial in the investigation, according to the Irish Independent.
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