32°
New York City resident Henry McGowan, age 30, of Brooklyn, is accused of killing his father, 66-year-old John McGowan, of New Canaan, on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the outlet said.
The New York Times reported that Henry flew to Ireland earlier this week to stay at Ballyfin Demesne, a hotel in County Laois. Henry suffers from bipolar disorder, and when John learned his son had left the country, he boarded a plane on Monday, Nov. 11, to help him.
Police were called to the hotel outside of Dublin on Tuesday after someone discovered John's body around 8 p.m. in a common area, the BBC said. Investigators did not say how he died, and police in Ireland declined to comment on the case when called on Saturday.
In a statement to the Times, the McGowan family said John was a dedicated father who cared deeply for his son.
He did everything within his power to bring his son Henry, who suffers from a severe mental illness, the help he so desperately needs. The family requests privacy at this difficult time and will not be commenting further.
Henry appeared in court on Thursday, Nov. 14, where his attorney asked for a mental health evaluation and care. The court approved that request, an Irish news report said. Henry was remanded to Cloverhill Prison in Dublin and will appear in court on Monday, Nov. 18, via a video call.
Henry announced in a fundraiser last year for a mental health organization that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 after suffering a manic episode that required hospitalization in 2022.
"A little over a year ago, I was released from the hospital and began the process of reconnecting with reality, my dear friends and family, and eventually my work and hobbies," Henry wrote on his fundraising page last year.
"It was a painstaking path, but being on the other side of it, I am deeply grateful for and in disbelief at how much my life has improved in this relatively short time.
He ran the New York Marathon and raised over $10,000 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. In an interview with ABC News in New York, Henry implored those suffering to reach out.
"If you're struggling, ask for help or someone near you is struggling with a mental illness, offer help," he said.
Henry McGowan is a Connecticut native who graduated from the University of Virginia, the Times reported. He moved to New York, where he lived with his girlfriend and worked at Affirm.
John McGowan was the managing partner of venture capital firm Torus Capital in Greenwich, according to his LinkedIn.
Ballyfin Demesne is a well-known spot for celebrities in Ireland. Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, and George Clooney are just some of the people who've been photoed there, per the Times.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Darien and receive free news updates.
