Two teenagers charged with murder of homeless man in Maghera

By Hannah Spratt

Two teenagers have been charged with the murder of a homeless man in Maghera.

Piotr Krowka's body was discovered in a derelict property on the Glen Road on the 3rd of April.

The men aged 17 and 18 are due before Magherafelt Magistrates Court this morning.

At the time of the murder, Detective Chief Inspector Geoff Boyce from PSNI Major Investigation Team said: “I can now confirm we are treating this as a murder investigation following the results of his post mortem. The victim is understood to be aged in his late thirties. 

“Piotr was a vulnerable homeless man from the Polish community who had been living in Maghera for a number of years."

It's understood Mr Krowka had been sleeping rough in the derelict property which local people will know was a former Parochial House.

“He suffered serious injuries to his head and body and we are working to establish the circumstances of this incident and determine the precise sequence of events that culminated in the tragic death of this man" said DCI Boyce.

“I am keen to identify Piotr's movements between Good Friday and Easter Tuesday when his body was discovered and I would appeal to anyone who was in contact with or who may have witnessed Piotr during this time to please contact us."

Two males, aged 17 and 18, have been charged with the murder of 36 year old Piotr Krowka whose body was discovered in a derelict property in Maghera in April this year. They are due to appear before Magherafelt Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.

— PSNI (@PoliceServiceNI) October 9, 2018