A Brooklyn man has been charged with murdering his father at a luxury hotel in Ireland.
Henry McGowan, 30, appeared before a judge in Portlaoise District Court on Thursday two days after his 66-year-old father, John McGowan, was found dead at the Ballyfin Demesne, a five-star country house hotel in the heart of the Irish countryside about 60 miles southwest of Dublin.
The young McGowan walked into the courtroom wearing a black hoodie and a face mask as authorities gave evidence of the arrest, local newspaper Leinster Express reported.
Judge Andrew Cody ordered him to be remanded to Cloverhill Prison. He’s expected to appear before court again on Monday via video link.
The victim was located by Garda, or Irish police, in the hotel’s wellness area with serious injuries around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the BBC reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His son was arrested shortly after the incident and taken to a Garda station in the Eastern Region.
On Thursday, the suspect’s lawyer told the judge his client had significant mental issues and requested he receive a psychiatric assessment when he gets back to Cloverhill Prison — which the judge agreed to.
The Ballyfin Demesne is an extravagant high-end resort spread across 614 acres at the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains that has welcomed A-list celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and George Clooney.
With only 20 bedrooms and a one-bedroom Gardeners Cottage, this multi-award winner hotel is described by Condé Nast Traveler as Ireland’s top hotel and “one of the finest and most intricate historical restorations this century.”
Nightly rates can go as high as $3,600.