TWO STILL QUIZZED OVER DRUG LINK MURDER IN EAST BELFAST

Matthew Goddard beaten and then murdered with his electric guitar

Matthew Goddard beaten and then murdered with his electric guitar

A man and woman are still being questioned over the “sustained and brutal” murder of a popular man in his east Belfast home on Christmas Eve.

Mathew Goddard – known to his friends at ‘Mat’ – was found in a house in Chobham Street around 9.40 pm on Wednesday, December 24.

The officer leading the hunt for his killers, Detective Chief Inspector John McVea, said the 41-year-old was killed in a brutal attack in the living-room of his home.

Then he was beaten with his electric guitar.

Police said Mr Goddard was not known to them, but they are investigating a possible link to drugs.

Detectives are trying to piece together his moments alive between 4 pm when he was last seen going into his house and when he was found around 9 pm by a friend.

Said DCI McVea: “Mat was not known to police until now and we are investigating a possible drugs link to his murder. This is one line of enquiry we are pursuing.”

Robbery has been ruled out as a possible motive and detectives from the PSNI’s Major Investigation Team based at Seapark in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim are still trying to establish how many people were involved in the murder.

“The reason why Mat was attacked in such a sustained and brutal attack in his living room is not just clear at the moment.

“We are at an early stage of our investigation and we are asking anyone with information as to why Mat was murdered to contact detectives immediately.”

The senior detective said he was also appealing for information about the victim’s lifestyle in the run up to his murder on Christmas Eve.

Information can be passed to the murdersquad unit on the 101 non-emergency number or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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