THE former lover a woman found murdered in a house along with another man was remanded in custody today.
Shaun Patrick Joseph Hegarty faced Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with murdering his former girlfriend and her friend in an east Belfast flat last week.
The bodies of Caron Smyth, 40, and Finbarr McGrillen, 42, were found by police called to investigate a suspected burglary in Ravenhill Court.
The alarm was raised when a neighbour noticed the front door to their flat had been damaged.
The 33-year-old, of Grainnne House in north Belfast, said that he understood the charges when they were put to him.
Hegarty was remanded in custody to Maghaberry prison after no bail application was made.
The investigation into the horrific double murder continues.
On Thursday morning, detectives arrested another man in connection with the murders.
The 32-year-old was detained in west Belfast and taken to Musgrave Street PSNI station.
Murdersquad detectives will revisit the scene of the killings later, and have issued a fresh appeal for information.
They have appealed for anyone who noticed individuals or vehicles in the area between 3.30 am and 7.30 am the day before the bodies were discovered to contact them on 0845 600 8000.