Irishman's wife stabbed 40 times at Swiss home

The street outside the apartment in Switzerland.

Ken Foy and Robin Schiller

THERE was "blood all over" the Swiss apartment where an Irishman's wife was found dead after being stabbed "at least 40 times".

Wexford man Harry Ringwood's wife Galina Shevchenko was found dead at their home in Lutry, a town on the outskirts of Lausanne in Switzerland, on Monday afternoon.

Ms Shevchenko (46), who was from Kazakhstan, had been stabbed "at least 40 times", according to police Inspector Dominique Jeckelmann who is leading the investigation into her death.

Mr Ringwood (48) - an IT specialist - was hospitalised after he was found unconscious beside her body. The exact circumstances surrounding the woman's death have not yet been formally established.

Police officers yesterday spoke to Mr Ringwood at his hospital bed. Although the injuries he sustained are not-life-threatening, investigating officers decided to wait until he was "fully aware" to interview him.

Inspector Jeckelmann described what emergency services saw at the couple's home.

"It was quite a scene, the woman's body was found in a pool of blood, and there was blood all over the apartment as well... It was a very horrible death," he said.

A workman who was due to carry out a job at the couple's home raised the alarm after failing to gain entry.

The news of her violent death has shocked Mr Ringwood's home town of Enniscorthy, where he comes from a well-respected family.

An aunt who answered the phone at his mother's home did not wish to comment last night. A local source said the family are "distraught" at the horrific events in Switzerland.