A Connecticut heir killed his financier father at a five-star Irish hotel after his father came to help him through a mental illness, police say.
Henry McGowan, 30, appeared at Portlaoise Crown Court on Thursday following the death of his father John McGowan, 66, at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois on Tuesday.
McGowan was charged with murder and did not respond to the charge when alerted by Garda, the Irish police, according to The Irish Times.
The outlet reported that McGowan was taken into custody at Cloverhill Prison and the case was adjourned until November 18.
McGowan’s attorney Barry Fitzgerald said he suffers from significant mental health issues.
Garda sources have said this Extra.ie that Henry had arrived at the hotel a few days before his death after a journey through mainland Europe.
The outlet reported that he soon began acting erratically at the hotel and staff then alerted his father who was in the US at the time.
The judge presiding over the case has allowed McGowan to receive immediate medical attention for his mental health.
Henry McGowan, pictured, is accused of murdering his financier father during a psychiatric episode at an ultra-luxury Irish hotel
John McGowan, seen here, was found unconscious in the hotel’s leisure area and was later pronounced dead
The McGowan family home in New Canaan, Connecticut is pictured. John McGowan worked as a financier for decades
The elder McGowan was found unconscious in the hotel’s recreation area and was later pronounced dead.
Police say the death was caused by a ‘fatal assault’ and have launched an investigation.
According to public records, Henry McGowan lived in New Canaan, Connecticut, in a home valued at $1.9 million.
The brutal murder took place in Ballyfin Demense, pictured
His LinkedIn profile shows that he had been a principal partner in a brokerage firm that specialized in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
McGowan had previously worked as a principal partner for Cohen, Duffy, McGowan & Co LLC before most recently working at Torus Capital.
He was a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Set on a 614-hectare estate near the Slieve Bloom mountains, the Ballyfin Demesne is a popular destination for many celebrities.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West honeymooned at the location after reportedly being rejected from Glin Castle.